Fraudulent emails claiming to be from the Inland Revenue Department and stating that the receiver is entitled to a tax refund have been circulating to New Zealanders’ inboxes. The emails have a similar layout to official IRD emails and also contain the IRD logo, making them appear legitimate at first glance.
The message in the email says that the recipient can claim $129.85 NZD. This line reveals the email to be fake, as an IRD spokesperson said that the IRD never states total refund sums in emails. Further adding to suspicion, the email says that the receiver is required to follow a link within the email and enter their debit or credit card numbers.
“If you get an email that you think might be a scam, use your mouse to hover over a link without clicking,” the IRD says. “This will let you see if the website address they are sending you to is accurate and relevant to the email you received.”
The IRD only asks for private bank details using the secure myIR website and advises people to never reveal their account details via text message or email exchange.
Last year in July, the IRD issued a warning letter when a similar scam was going around the country. During that occasion, the email did not include a formal greeting or salutation, and the person’s unique IRD number was always incorrect.
The IRD is encouraging people who receive fraudulent emails to forward them to phishing@ird.govt.nz.