Phishing scams that ask for wire transfers, bank account information and SSN/ITIN numbers are a common occurrence on the internet. Recently there has been a phishing scam email targeting international students and preying on their misinformation about tax refunds.
Please keep in mind:
- The IRS does not email tax payers. All communication is sent via regular mail.
- Refunds will be issued via check or direct deposit based on the information provided on the tax return.
- Never give out your bank account information or SSN/ITIN number unless it is to a trusted source via a secure server.
- Always check the email address of the sender asking for personal information. The email address should be from a legitimate website and not from a @gmail.com or @yahoo.com account.
- When in doubt, contact a trusted source to help you determine if an email is valid or a scam.
For more information about this IRS phishing scam, please see this official IRS statement. If you believe you were contacted by a phishing scam, please read the official IRS statement about reporting phishing scams.
To report other phishing scams that were sent to your University of Texas email account, contact your department or ISSS and the information will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities on campus.