Economic stimulus payments (informally known as tax rebates) are beginning to be sent out to tax payers. Along with these payments come fraudsters attempting to obtain financial information from unsuspecting tax payers through telephone and email scams.

These tax rebate scams are ?phishing? schemes. Phishing scams are telephone calls or emails where the fraudster attempts to get the individual to disclose personal and financial information such as social security, bank information, pin number, etc.

The rebate email scams attempt to trick users by using a special link which asks the tax payer to fill out a form, apparently for direct deposit of the stimulus payment into their bank account. The information is then used to steal the individual?s identity and or financial assets.

In another rebate scam, the tax payer receives a telephone call regarding their economic stimulus payment. The caller impersonates an IRS employee and asks the tax payer for personal and financial information.

There are a number of precautions readers can take to help protect themselves these and similar scams.

Remember that the IRS will not telephone or send unsolicited e-mails to tax payers asking for personal or financial information. The IRS uses the information contained on the taxpayer's tax return to process stimulus payments.

Anytime you receive an email or phone call asking for personal or financial information from a company you do business with or from a government agency, phone the business to find out if they are trying to contact you. However, make sure the number is the legitimate contact information. In other words, don?t rely on any phone number within the email you are questioning.

In the case of the tax rebate emails, you can contact the IRS at (800) 829-1040 to find out if they are trying to contact you.

Also, those who receive a questionable telephone call or email that claims to come from the IRS may also use the phishing@irs.gov mailbox to notify the IRS of the scam.

Finally, if you receive an email claiming to be from the IRS, you can seek a third party opinion from a professional tax specialist.

For more information on tax schemes, please go to http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/index.html. Additionally, information regarding economic stimulus payments can be found at www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=177937,00.html.

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