Don't fall for this #1 tax scam

Crooks wanting to steal your identity are using bogus e-mails and websites designed to look like genuine IRS

communications. You might expect the April 15 filing deadline to mark the end of these scams, but they, in fact, are expected to continue for months.

An example of these bogus e-mails: You receive a message confirming IRS receipt of your tax return, but the IRS needs more information to process your return. The e-mail looks official and completely legitimate. But it isn’t. The IRS does NOT contact taxpayers asking for personal and financial information. These e-mails should be deleted immediately. Fake IRS websites are also created by scammers to lure victims into filling out forms providing information that results in identity theft.