Maryland Comptroller Warns of 'Taxpayer Advocate' Phishing Scam

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot alerted taxpayers Friday to a new phishing scam aimed at garnering personal information from taxpayers.

Citizens have reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that a front posing as the Taxpayer Advocate Service has sent them the following email:

“Your reported 2013 income is flagged for review due to a document processing error. Your case has been forwarded to the Taxpayer Advocate Service for resolution assistance. To avoid delays processing your 2013 filing, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service for resolution assistance.”

In the email, there's a link to get contact information for the bogus "advocate" assigned to the case, Franchot said, with an ask for personal information and a link to review reported income. There is also a fake case number, according to a statement from Franchot.

”Do not click on any links or reply to the message," Franchot said.

Anyone who receives the message may forward the email to the IRS at atphishing@irs.gov.

"The IRS and the Comptroller's Office do not contact taxpayers in this fashion, Franchot continued, "and we do not ask people to confirm their reported income online."