NASSAU, The Bahamas – Americans living in The Bahamas should be aware of a scam now spreading throughout the Caribbean in which Americans receive a fax with a fake Internal Revenue Service heading and logo asking for taxpayer information.
In addition to the letter, the fax also contains an altered copy of a W-8BEN form which asks for personal information, including mother’s maiden name and bank account PIN numbers.
It is NOT the practice of the IRS to request this type of information via fax.
The IRS warns that care should always be taken when disclosing personal information.
Identity thieves use stolen personal data to access financial accounts, run up charges on credit cards and to apply for loans. The IRS is aware of several identity theft scams targeting taxpayers. In one case, fraudsters sent bank customers fictitious correspondence and IRS forms in an attempt to trick them into disclosing their financial data.
In another, abusive tax preparers used clients’ Social Security numbers and other information to file false tax returns without the clients’ knowledge. Sometimes scammers pose as the IRS itself.
Last year, the IRS shut down a scheme in which perpetrators used e-mail to announce to taxpayers that they were “under audit” and could set matters right by divulging sensitive financial information on an official-looking Web site.
Taxpayers should note the IRS does not use e-mail or fax to contact them concerning issues related to their accounts.
If taxpayers have any doubt whether a contact from the IRS is authentic, they should call 1-800-829-1040 or the IRS Attache’ in Bridgetown, Barbados, Ms. Cheryl Kast at 246-436-4950.
