Before checking your inbox take heed that there is a new e-mail
scam targeting foreign taxpayers holding U.S. bank accounts. In
this latest scam, an email claiming to come for the IRS requests
personal and financial information for tax exemption purposes. The
actual purpose? Identity theft and cleaning out your bank
account.
Here is an example of an e-mail claiming to come from the
IRS:
"Our records indicate that you are a Non-resident, and
that you are exempted from the United States of America Tax
reporting and withholding on interest paid to you on your account
and other financial benefits. To protect your exemption from tax on
your account and other financial benefits, you need to re-certify
your exempt status to enable us confirm your records with us.
Therefore, you are required to authenticate the following by
completing form W-8BEN attached and return same to us as soon as
possible with a valid copy of government issued Identification
(e.g., International
