As millions of Americans await the stimulus package, the IRS is anticipating an increase in con jobs.

To a con artist, almost any news event offers an opportunity for profit. But this time the thieves have outdone themselves, pegging scams to the new economic stimulus package even before President Bush signed the legislation last February.

Under the law, the IRS will send payments to 130 million households, including more than 20 million low-income older americans and 250,000 disabled veterans. The checks will go out automatically starting in May to those who have filed a Form 1040 or 1040A tax return for 2007.

Already scammers are contacting targets by phone, saying they represent the IRS, and explaining that they can direct-deposit rebates right away if the victim coughs up a bank account number on the spot. The truth, of course, is that the perpetrator will use that number not to deposit funds but to steal them or to steal the victim's identity to commit an array of financial swindles.

"We have no way of knowing how widespread this scam is:” says Michelle Lamishaw, IRS spokeswoman. But as millions of Americans await the cash payments, Lamishaw says the IRS is anticipating an increase in con jobs by phone and e-mail.

In response the agency wants to make it clear to taxpayers that "the IRS will not be calling them and will not be e-mailing them about the economic stimulus package:“' Lamishaw says. "That is just not our mode of operation. And we certainly do not call or e-mail people and ask for personally identifiable information:”

Katharine Greider, author AARP