gunmajet.net

Fukui-ken has been targeted by a scam which sends FAXes claiming to be from the IRS.
.
There has only been one case of this in Gunma that I know of, but please be aware that more schools in Gunma could recieve this fake IRS document.
.
The IRS would not ask you for bank account information, and the only time you would ever give the IRS your account information is when you file your taxes and fill out the "deposit my refund by direct deposit section". Please do not give them your bank info or other personal information that could lead to identity theft.
.
Here is the official notice about this scam from the IRS webpage: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=123621,00.html
.
Please contact Judith (li-j at pref dot gunma dot jp) or I (sm-bahia at pref dot gunma dot jp) if you recieve this kind of FAX.
.
Read below for more specifics:
.
The form is W-BEN Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding. This is a real form, but the faxed version is different. It looks like they have modelled it after a real form in order to fool people. You can view the real form here: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=105139,0...
.
The IRS does not solicited personal information such as your bank account numbers, branch, mother's maiden name, etc.
.
Additionally, in the cover letter it states that if you are US Citizen/Resident indicate so on the form and they will send you form W9095. Form W9095 has already been discovered to be fraudulent (see here: http://www.fraudaid.com/IRS_Form_W9095_Fraud.htm) and is not a real IRS form.