Change Of EIN Email Scam Hitting Inboxes

If you read the blog regularly, you are aware that there are a bunch of emails that pop up from time to time purporting to be from the IRS, asking you to click on all kinds of links or submit personal information. This sort of thing is a scam.

That said, a reader sent me a copy of the latest email making the rounds, asking if I’d seen it. I have and dismissed it. But since it appears to be confusing some taxpayers, I thought I would pass it along with the warning that it’s not a legitimate email from IRS.

Here’s what it says:

Dear Sirs,

we would like to notify you that it is absolutely necessary that you obtain a new EIN for security reasons related to the risk of fraud. We apologize for the inconveniences that might be caused to you by this measure. For detailed instructions please use the following link:

http://ae-products.com/ln2vuy/index.html

Yours sincerely,

Vivien Fischer

Office of Professional Responsibility

Internal Revenue Service

My copy came from “Vivien Fischer ” with the subject “Change of your EIN is required.” Remarkably, it just appeared in my inbox even though it’s dated August 23, 2011.

Don’t get hooked: it’s most likely a phishing scam.

Remember, the IRS will never send an unsolicited e-mail about your tax account or tax matters. Ever.

The purpose of the email is to get you to click on the link in the email. Don’t do it. The link likely contains a virus that could infect your computer or direct you to a site in order to steal your identity or otherwise access your financial information. You know the drill, forward it to phishing@irs.gov or delete and move on.