DePaul faculty, staff and students should be aware of a new phishing scam targeting the higher education community. IRS imposters have created a scam targeting people with “.edu" email addresses. Scammers send emails with subject lines such as “Tax Refund Payment" and “Recalculation of Your Tax Refund."The email then asks recipients to submit a form, including questions about name, Social Security number and date of birth, to claim their “refund." Scammers can use or sell this information for identity theft.
Although the emails look real, please note the IRS will not first contact you by email. The entity will always start with a hard copy letter. You also can call the IRS directly at (800) 829-1040.
If you clicked a link in one of these emails and shared personal information, file a report at IdentityTheft.gov to get a customized recovery plan based on what information you shared. If you spotted this scam, the IRS is asking you to forward the email as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov.