Scam warning to taxpayers

"Members of the public are randomly e-mailed with spoof e-mails made to look as if these come from SARS, but are in fact fraudulent e-mails aimed at enticing unsuspecting taxpayers to part with personal information, such as bank account details," SARS spokesman Marika Muller said.

Muller said in a statement some of the e-mails were from returns@sars.co.za or refunds@sars.co.za, implying that taxpayers were eligible to receive tax refunds.

The subject of some of the e-mails was Your payment from SARS and the wording was Dear Taxpayer, accept your refund here from the Refund Section.

Others had a link which read: You have an important message from Sars eFiling.

"People have contacted us to check if these e-mails were genuine or not," she said.

The e-mails contained links to false forms and false websites where people had to enter personal information, such as their bank account details.

She advised taxpayers not to open e-mails from unknown sources. The e-mails were sent in January.

"SARS will not request your banking details over the phone, via e-mail or on websites," she added.