National Scam Uses Fake Tax Forms, Targets Bank-Account Holders.

Byline: Kristina Stefanova

Apr. 12--The federal agency that regulates national banks has issued a nationwide alert about a scam in which bank account holders receive fake letters and tax forms seeking to obtain personal financial information for the purpose of identity theft.

Here's how the scam works: An account holder receives a letter on bank stationery requesting information for the purpose of reporting earnings to the Internal Revenue Service. Attached to the letter is a fake IRS form identified as W-9095.

The phony document is based on a valid IRS form called a W-9. Banks often ask customers to complete a W-9 so that they can cross check …