By Jim Wallace - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) -
The IRS is warning people about a wave of scam e-mails telling you you're eligible for a stimulus check. It's a new version of a scam that surfaced last year when federal stimulus checks were distributed. But officials worry more people will fall for it during tough economic times.
The e-mail that is being seen on many computers in South Georgia is supposedly from the Internal Revenue Service .It says you are eligible to receive a stimulus payment. But the IRS says you can be sure these e-mails are scams, because they never send e-mails to taxpayers. But Prosecutors say many people fall for these scams.
Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards said, "Unfortunately these fraudsters have perfected these official looking e-mails. You must be very careful. Always call to verify what you get."
The scam e-mail asks you download an attachment, and fill out an order form for processing a stimulus payment check.
"When someone calls and asks for information that they should already have, your ears should pop up right there. Because what they are doing is trying to get your information in order to steal," Edwards said.
IRS officials say many of these attachments that people download contain viruses that can be used to steal your information. Prosecutors say they worry unemployed and financially desperate people may be more likely to fall for these scams.
"You are not going anything for nothing. Greed is the issue that causes a lot of people to get involved in these scams," Edwards said.
The District Attorney says he knows scams are prevalent now, his wife received a counterfeit check scam in the mail recently, that he says was very realistic.
The IRS says if you receive this or any e-mail claiming to be from them, just delete it.
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