If you receive an e-mail message promising to help you receive your 2008 Economic Stimulus Refund, don't fall for it. Carver County Sheriff's Sgt. Peter Anderley said yesterday in response to a forwarded e-mail message: "This is the first time I have heard of a resident of Chanhassen receiving it.  I am sure more have received the e-mail and hopefully they caught it also."

Follow-up correspondence with the IRS resulted in a statement about this so-called refund e-mail.

"The IRS has seen several variations of a refund-related bogus e-mail which falsely claims to come from the IRS, tells the recipient that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount, and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the e-mail to access a refund claim form. The form asks the recipient to enter personal information that the scamsters can then use to access the e-mail recipient's bank or credit card account." 

"In a new wrinkle, the current version of the refund scam includes two paragraphs that appear to be directed toward tax-exempt organizations that distribute funds to other organizations or individuals. The e-mail contains the name and supposed signature of the Director of the IRS's Exempt Organizations business division."

"This e-mail is a phony. The IRS does not send unsolicited e-mail about tax account matters to individual, business, tax-exempt or other taxpayers."

"Filing a tax return is the only way to apply for a tax refund; there is no separate application form. Taxpayers who wish to find out if they are due a refund from their last annual tax return filing may use the "Where's My Refund?" interactive application on the IRS Web site at IRS.gov. The only official IRS Web site is located at www.irs.gov."