Michigan Department of Treasury story about an IRS scam warning-Truth! and Fiction!

Michigan Department of Treasury Story About an IRS Scam Warning-Truth! & Fiction!

Summary of eRumor:
According to this story, the Michigan Department of Treasury got an alert from the IRS about an email scam. The scam is described as one in which people receive emails saying that they are under an "e-audit" and need to complete a questionnaire. The message says the answers need to be emailed within 48 hours or penalties will be assessed. Among the questions are requests for personal information including Social Security numbers. The message warns taxpayers not to respond to the message because the IRS does not conduct "e-audits" and doesn't notify people of pending audits via email.

The Truth:
Technically, this eRumor is not entirely true because it got a couple of key facts wrong, but the warning is one to take to heart.

As claimed, it was posted on the website of the Michigan Department of Treasury. The IRS did not issue a warning about this particular email message, however, because the text is apparently from a promotional email, perhaps Spam, not necessarily a scammer.

Still, the advice is good to heed. If anyone requests personal information and especially Social Security or credit card numbers, be suspicious.

A real example of the story as it has been circulated:

The Michigan Department of Treasury recently received an alert from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about a fraudulent scam being conducted by e-mail, that you should look out for.

     The IRS Criminal Investigations Division
recently
     sent out an alert to law
     enforcement agencies regarding this scam.
PLEASE
     READ and FORWARD to others,
     so they might not be a victim of what could
     seriously damage you
     financially.


     Some taxpayers have received e-mails from a
non-IRS
     source indicating that
     the taxpayer is under audit and needs to
complete a
     questionnaire within 48
     hours to avoid the assessment of penalties
and
     interest. The e-mail refers
     to an "e-audit" and references IRS form
1040. The
     taxpayer is asked for
     social security numbers, bank account
numbers and
     other confidential
     information. The IRS does not conduct
e-audits, nor
     does it notify taxpayers
     of a pending audit via e-mail.


     That e-mail is not from the IRS. Any e-mail
received
     of this nature should
     be saved so that a computer forensics
investigation
     can be conducted to
     determine the originator. Law enforcement
personnel
     should remain cognizant
     of this latest identity theft ploy. And this
social
     engineering exploit is
     not limited to the U.S.A. A criminal in your
country
     can also pull a scam
     like this. Be Warned! More info at:
     webmaster@fleoa.org - Federal Law
     Enforcement Officers Association