IRS Warns of Variation of Form W-8BEN Scam

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently warned of a new twist tied to an old scam aimed at international taxpayers and non-resident aliens. In this scam, criminals use a fake IRS Form W-8BEN to solicit detailed personal identification and bank account information from victims.

In the past, fraudsters typically target non-residents of the U.S. and use the W-8BEN format to acquire personal details such as:

  • mother's maiden name
  • passport number
  • PIN numbers and passcodes

The legitimate IRS Form W-8BEN, does not ask for any of that information. The fraudulent forms use various angles that may claim, for example:

  • Anti-money laundering regulations require a review of your client information and ask you to complete the form.
  • You are exempt from tax reporting and withholdings on income including interest paid to you. To protect your exemption from tax please complete the attached form.

Now there is a new twist: Criminals mail or fax a letter indicating that although individuals are exempt from withholding and reporting income tax, they need to authenticate their information by filling out a phony version of Form W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting. Recipients are requested to fax the information back.

See for more: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-warns-of-variation-of-form-w-8ben-scam-crooks-impersonate-irs-to-get-banking-and-other-information

Criminals use many scams to get individuals to give them personal information. For a detailed list identified by the IRS see:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scamsconsumer-alerts

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter and is not a substitute for legal consultation. Specific legal advice should be sought in accordance with the particular circumstances.