Some area residents have recently received scam e-mails that relate to upcoming tax rebates.

Scams regarding the rebates have quickly changed from phone calls to e-mails over the last few weeks, said Jodie Reynolds, spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service for Kentucky.

“We know these scammers will act every time that they see an opportunity,” she said. “Unfortunately, these scammers have progressed with technology (and are now) using Internal Revenue Services graphics.”

Officer Barry Pruitt, spokesman for the Bowling Green Police Department, said he received one of the e-mails.

“The e-mail looks really good – it has IRS graphics and everything,” he said. “It looks very professional.”

But once someone clicks on the link inside the message, it takes them to a Web page that asks for a lot of personal information – birthdates, debit card numbers, Social Security numbers and just about any other personal information possible, Pruitt said.

Reynolds points out that the IRS never establishes contact with taxpayers by either e-mail or phone – all contact by the IRS is made using letters, and the agency would never ask for personal information by e-mail or phone.

With recent passage of a federal economic stimulus plan – which includes significant tax residents for most lower- and middle-class taxpayers – residents will be seeing correspondence from the IRS. That will take the form of an informational letter, explaining how the rebates will work and when they should be expected to arrive.

“The economic stimulus package is the reason that we’ve asked everyone to file a return this year,” Reynolds said. “That way we know how much to send and to where.”

Unfortunately, scams involving the IRS are becoming a more frequent, year-round occurrence, she said. And since most people want to stay in compliance with the IRS or get the promised rebate, they might be more inclined than normal to respond to the scams.

“(Scammers) like to use the IRS as a lure because we have contact with nearly everyone,” Reynolds said.

— Anyone who has received any e-mail or phone contact from someone claiming to be from the IRS is asked to call (800) 366-4484 or forward the e-mail to phishing@irs.gov.