Identity Theft Targets Foreign Nationals
Posted Aug 23, 2002

According to recent reports, a new "identity theft" scam is targeting foreign nationals. It was reported that taxpayers have received official-looking letters and forms purported to be from the recipient's bank or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These forms typically request detailed financial and personal information.

In essence, identity theft is the illegal and unauthorized use of an individual's confidential, personal and financial information by an unscrupulous individual or group in order to obtain credit in that person's name or to gain access to her/his credit lines and bank accounts. Once this crime is committed, it can be extremely difficult to fully remedy the ramifications.

Some of the letters have included forms alleging to be from the IRS, with instructions to fill them and fax them to a specified number. One such form targeting non-citizens is called a "Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding." It claims to be Form "W-8888." This form (which is NOT a real U.S. government form) requests confidential information, including financial details and personal identification numbers (PINs) for bank accounts.

Anyone receiving an unfamiliar or suspicious request for personal data should verify its authenticity before providing unknown persons with any information. It is wise to check with one's bank, accountant or financial advisor to determine whether the request is genuine. The IRS WebSite is also a helpful resource regarding official IRS forms and procedures. One who suspects s/he has been the victim of identity theft should contact the Social Security Fraud hotline at <800.269.0271> and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at <877.IDTHEFT>.