The redesigned page on Tax Fraud Alerts is available on the IRS Web site, www.irs.gov, by clicking on "Tax Scams/Fraud Alerts" from the homepage. Click here for a direct link.

IRS Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti said, "identifying and combating actively promoted tax schemes" is the agency's "highest compliance priority." Rossotti said the money lost to the Treasury is "clearly substantial."

In fact, the IRS announced last month it mistakingly paid out $30 million in erroneous slavery reparation refunds in 2000 and 2001. The agency earlier this year released a list of 12 common tax scams to be on the lookout for.

The updated Tax Fraud Alerts page provides taxpayers links to such news items as recent civil and criminal actions against scam promoters and participants by the Department of Justice. The page also links taxpayers to recent IRS news items about the agency's enforcement efforts and warnings about common tax scams.

The IRS warns taxpayers to beware of the tax-savings pitch that sounds too good to be true. Taxpayers should seek expert advice before they subscribe to any scheme that offers promises of instant wealth or exemption from taxes.

Said Mark Matthews, IRS Criminal Investigation chief, "This new page will help protect taxpayers by keeping them informed. We don't want taxpayers to get caught up in these schemes, which are costly to all Americans."

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