Americans now have another reason to dread the tax season, following a warning from the US Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT) of phishing attacks targeting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). 

The IRS, which processes all federal income taxes, has become the target of new phishing scams that claim to offer tax refunds.

Recipients are asked to enter personal information into an online form which can then be used by identity thieves.

US-CERT said that the IRS does not solicit refund or penalty information by email, and that users should report suspicious emails to OnGuard Online, a web-safety programme involving several federal organisations. 

Government sites have been largely ignored by phishers, who favour e-commerce hubs such as eBay and PayPal and large regional banks.