The IRS is warning that a new scam e-mail that appears to be a solicitation from the IRS and the U.S. government for charitable contributions to victims of the recent Southern California wildfires has been making the rounds. (IR 2007-183; http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=175392,00.html.)

A link in the e-mail, when clicked, sends the e-mail recipients to a Web site that looks like the IRS Web site, but is not. They are then directed to click on a link that opens a donation form that asks for personal and financial information. The scammers can use that information to gain access to the e-mail recipients' financial accounts.

The IRS does not send e-mails to taxpayers soliciting contributions to any charitable causes.  Recipients of the scam e-mail who clicked on any of the links should have their computers checked for malicious software and should monitor their financial accounts for suspicious activity. Report any unauthorized activity to law enforcement authorities and to the three major credit companies.

Recipients of the scam e-mail can help the IRS shut down this scheme by forwarding the e-mail to an electronic mail box (phishing@irs.gov) using instructions found in "How to Protect Yourself from Suspicious E-Mails or Phishing Schemes"  at: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=155344,00.html.