RSS | Comments | Tell a Friend | Larger Text | Smaller Text

Local News

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Elaborate scams target those waiting for stimulus checks

Findlay Internet
By J. STEVEN DILLON

STAFF WRITER

A Findlay woman, eager to receive her economic stimulus check from the federal government, nearly fell victim to a scam this week.

The woman, who didn't want to be named, told The Courier she received an e-mail she thought was from the Internal Revenue Service.

The official-looking correspondence asked for bank account information and her personal identification number or PIN, so her "rebate" could be directly deposited to the account.

If she provided this information, the woman was led to believe, her stimulus check would arrive more quickly.

The woman said she provided the requested information, but became suspicious when several "links" in the e-mail wouldn't open.

"I immediately thought something was wrong, and it was," she said. "I should have known better, but for some reason I didn't."

The woman said she first contacted the IRS, which told her that numerous scams have been reported concerning the stimulus checks, which will be distributed by the IRS beginning in May based on a person's 2007 tax return.

After speaking with the IRS, the woman called her bank, which was able to change her identification number before any funds could be withdrawn from her account.

"I don't know why I did it," she said. "I'm always very careful when it comes to giving out any personal information, but it seemed so authentic."

Eric Erickson, an IRS spokesman in Ohio, said scams like the one described by the Findlay woman are currently "very common" in Ohio and elsewhere in the country.

"We don't have a number of how many people have been affected, but unfortunately there are a lot (of scams) circulating right now," he said.

He said the reported scams have involved e-mails, letters and telephone calls.

Many try to encourage consumers to enter financial and personal data at bogus IRS Web sites, and claim the information is necessary to process the rebate.

Others encourage consumers to download an attached IRS form to apply for the rebate. Those attachments, however, can contain "spyware" that can steal passwords and financial data from the victim's computer.

Consumers who refuse to enter the information or provide it over the phone are falsely told they will not receive the tax rebate.

Erickson said it is important to remember that the IRS does not conduct business by e-mail, and does not solicit personal information from taxpayers over the phone.

"The IRS will never, never initiate contact by e-mail," he said. "If you get an e-mail that says it's from the IRS, you can assume that it is not legitimate."

Erickson said the IRS takes such scams very seriously. He said residents who receive suspicious e-mails should forward them to: phishing@irs.gov, where they will be investigated.

The IRS has said those eligible for a stimulus payment will receive it in the mail unless they selected the direct deposit option on their tax form.

Anyone with questions can contact the IRS on its Web site at www.irs.gov or by calling 800-829-1040.

Contact staff writer J. Steven Dillon at:

419-427-8423

Send an e-mail to Steve Dillon
Comment on This Story
NOTE: If you are having problems viewing this Web page, please contact our Internet Department to help us diagnose and correct the problem. We may contact you for more information. Thanks in advance.
Your e-mail address will not be displayed on this website or shared with anyone. It is used by our online editor for contacting purposes.
Comments are moderated by The Courier according to its Electronic User Agreement within one business day. Comments that slander others or include language that violates the agreement will be rejected. All comments that impart opinion and information are welcome.
   PHOTO GALLERY
Randy's Seen

IMAGE BLOG: Go behind the scenes with Courier photographer Randy Roberts.


You can purchase photographs from The Courier through our easy-to-use online system. Get prints, mousepads, T-shirts and more!

   LOCAL NEWS
  LATEST COMMENTS Last 10 comments submitted by our readers...
Lisa Hawley wrote in article "Bush's mark":
Bush's Mark
“ Did Bush's tax cuts bring the economy out of recession? I guess I missed that part on Cnn...

I hope our US war heros are goin... ” Read More...
1/6/2009 10:51:27 AM
tami wrote in article "4 women arrested for robbery":
to jo jo
“ this will be a long process for all involved, but counseling is nothing i need to seek! and your recommendation to find constru... ” Read More...
1/6/2009 10:38:21 AM
tami wrote in article "UPDATED: Bonds unchanged for 4 women charged in robbery":
re:adam
“ these girls knew what they were doing was wrong!! they did know! you can't blame the parents for the actions of these girls!! b... ” Read More...
1/6/2009 10:29:42 AM
Charles W. Weasel wrote in article "Bush's mark":
Bush Editorial
“ You've been drinking the Kool-Aid! ” Read More...
1/6/2009 10:10:43 AM
carol wrote in article "Firm's growth not a mystery":
CRI
“ also dont forget the very strict guideline when you do a shop. iF you do a pizza shop you have to take the pictures and cut the... ” Read More...
1/6/2009 8:21:52 AM
Jon Adams wrote in article "Bush's mark":
Unmitigated Disaster: Bush
“ The Iraq folly is the kind of misadventure that works to bring down empires- and the empire we should be concerned about is the... ” Read More...
1/6/2009 6:35:08 AM
chris clements wrote in article "UPDATED: Bonds unchanged for 4 women charged in robbery":
4 girls
“ they should be put in the same position as the man they beat and let four people beat them the way they beat him. capital punish... ” Read More...
1/6/2009 6:19:08 AM
The Locator wrote in article "Findlay didn't cut back on EMS":
"Would someone just come clean already"?
“ I need to ask this question... Does anyone in this city really care about what is happening behind the doors of the munincipal b... ” Read More...
1/6/2009 2:49:25 AM
tami wrote in article "UPDATED: Bonds unchanged for 4 women charged in robbery":
jordan
“ jordan, let all these people speak their peace! they have the right to freedom of speech. they only know what is written in bla... ” Read More...
1/5/2009 10:01:40 PM
J wrote in article "UPDATED: Bonds unchanged for 4 women charged in robbery":
Tami
“ Why send them to the Blanchard Valley Center? The other human beings there would be afraid of them too. Come on. I wouldn't w... ” Read More...
1/5/2009 9:23:12 PM
  U.S. Headlines
  World News
  Ohio News
News Briefs Arts grant given
FOSTORIA — The Fostoria Community Arts Council has received a $500 Key Foundation grant, funded by KeyBank from its student career mentoring program. The money will help fund the arts council's free children's workshops during the school year and the two-week summer children's workshop.

Arcadia board meeting planned
ARCADIA — Arcadia school board will hold its annual organizational meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the cafeteria with its regular monthly meeting to follow.

Block Watch sets Thursday meeting
The Westmoor Neighborhood Block Watch Program will hold its first meeting of the new year at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2300 Northridge Road.

About 50 Westmoor homes participated in the Block Watch program last year.

Pancake named bank manager
Susan Pancake has been named officer and financial center manager at Fifth Third Bank's Southview Banking Center, 1412 S. Main St.

Pancake is responsible for daily operations of the office, customer retention and developing new client relationships.

Pancake has 26 years of banking experience and earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Hillsdale College in Michigan.

A resident of Findlay, she is president-elect of Camp Fire USA board of directors.

Meeting planned
The Findlay Parking Authority will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the municipal building's third-floor conference room.

Hospital
FOSTORIA COMMUNITY

Dismissed

Amanda Naus and baby; Abra Thompson and baby; Nicole Boes and baby, all of Fostoria.