E-mail scammers have developed a wide range of fake e-mails that state the recipient is due a refund from the IRS, is being audited by the IRS, is being investigated by the FBI or Department of Justice, or some other similarly alarming threat. Government agencies do not advise individuals or companies of audits or investigations via e-mail. These messages will come by regular U.S. mail, courier, or through a subpoena. If you receive such an e-mail, delete it and don’t worry about—and never respond to it or provide any information to the sender.

The same thing applies to bank notices. Your bank will not tell you your account has been frozen or compromised via e-mail. Such notices will come by telephone or regular mail. However, as more and more people bank online and are accustomed to receiving messages from financial institutions, it’s easy to get fooled. Remember that your bank does not need to ask for your account number—they know it. If you receive an e-mail from a financial institution that you don’t have an account with, simply delete it. If the e-mail comes from a financial institution that you deal with and you think there’s a chance it’s legitimate, do not click on any link in the e-mail. Instead, call the institution at the number you typically use or close the e-mail and go to the institution’s website through the address you normally use.