Please be aware…

On www.irs.gov, the IRS announced that there is a new email scam targeting Hotmail account holders. The scam is being used to steal personal and financial information.

There’s been over 900 complaints thus far and the IRS anticipates that more could follow. To know if you have been sent the fraudulent email soliciting, check for a subject line that reads: “Internal Revenue Service Email No. XXX | We’re processing your request soon | TXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX”. Links included in the email, if clicked, takes taxpayers to a fake Microsoft page that asks the individual to sign in and enter personal and financial information.

So far, the IRS says the scam is only targeted to Hotmail users. Fake websites associated with this scam have been shut down, but taxpayers should be aware that others like it may appear.

Individuals who encounter such emails are asked to forward them to phishing@irs.gov then delete it immediately.