DRS Warning: CT taxpayers sent phone tax email bills for Amazon, NewEgg Purchases

Connecticut taxpayers are warned by the Department of Revenue Services (DRS) not to open, make a payment or reply to email or any other communication claiming to be a tax bill for Amazon and/or NewEgg purchases. The email directs the tax payment be made to a fake website.

The fraudsters had mocked up an “official-looking” DRS email bill that misdirects the improper payment to the scammer’s bank account.

Said Commissioner Kevin Sullivan, "Tax-related scams increase as we get closer to the April 17th deadline. Crooks, fraudsters and cybercriminals use more sophisticated methods to trick taxpayers and take their money."

The CT DRS never initiates contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media to request tax payments, personal and financial information such as PINs, passwords, credit card, banking or other financial account information.

Printed tax notice letters, similar to the phony emails, have been sent through the U.S. mail by DRS. Those paper letters are legitimate. If a taxpayer has any questions about a notice or bill they receive from the DRS, they are encouraged to contact the department directly for more information.

Learn more about the phony email on the DRS website.

As part of the effort to protect taxpayers, the IRS has teamed up with state revenue departments and the tax industry to make sure taxpayers understand the dangers of email scams by posting online the ‘Dirty Dozen’ List of Tax Scams for 2018.

More information on how to report phishing or phone scams is available on IRS.gov or by contacting the CT DRS at (860) 297-5962 or outside the Hartford calling areas at (800) 382-9463.