Downtown Bozeman Alert: New IRS Related Scam

An identity theft scam has been attempted in the Bozeman area. This scam involves a fraudster sending out a modified IRS Form using IRS letterhead and a very "official looking" form.

The letter and form asks for personal information, such as full name, Date of Birth, Bank account numbers and even asks for a copy of the persons passport.

The IRS does not discuss tax account matters with taxpayers by e-mail, nor does it solicit bank account numbers or copies of passports. An accompanying letter includes "scare" language, with threats of withholding penalties or official sanctions.

Fortunately no one has reported sending in this information to this department and recognized this attempt for what it is, an inappropriate attempt to "trick" them into giving them information.

For more information on this scam or other related scams, go to www.bozemanpolice.com "scams" link or to www.IRS.gov.

If you feel you are a victim of this scam, please contact the Bozeman Police Department at (406) -582-2000 or Policecomments@Bozeman.net