By Keith Boles Posted: Feb 20, 2008 found at kait8.com 

JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) - Those rebate checks are months away but you may be waiting on your tax refund check.  But if someone calls from the IRS and promises you a speedy refund or rebate  in exchange for your money watch out.

  The inks hardly dry on the tax incentive program and there is somebody out there trying to get your money. Well maybe not your money but your information.

  David Stell, IRS Spokesperson, "What we know right now is that we've heard that callers are calling people telling them that they can get their money faster, quicker by just giving them personal information so that the money can be deposited into their bank accounts."

  First off, the chances are if you have filed before the IRS already has this information. Check your 1040 forms.

  Bruck Kious from Liberty Tax Service told me how a typical call would go.

  "Basically how this scam works is that a scammer will pose as an IRS agent and say you're entitled to a sizeable rebate check and all we need form you is your social security number and bank account information. Well its given over the telephone so the taxpayer will naturally refuse to do this."

  Okay, call over. Well not quite, the scammer now throws in a threat.

  Kious, "Well you do not qualify for the rebate check if you don't give me the information."

   And if the telephone rings and somebody says im the IRS there's a couple of things you need to know about the telephone and how the IRS operates.>

  Stell, "The bottom line is the IRS does not notify people of refunds, rebates, or there federal payments by telephone or e-mail."

  There will be two official IRS notices sent out. The first will explain the stimulus payout program. The second will confirm your eligibility, the payment amount and the approximate time table for the payment.

 Remember, the IRS does very little by phone.

  Stell, "If you get a call from someone proporting to be from the IRS and saying they can get you your rebate or refund or any other federal payment sooner that specified. It is a scam, my advice would be to hang up."