Dear Harry: I got an e-mail that looked like it came from IRS. The letterhead said Internal Revenue Service with a P.O. box address and said that my tax refund was held up because they needed additional information that was not readable on my tax return. It looked just like IRS correspondence that I once got in the regular mail. I went to their reply link, and they asked about my name and address, but also my SS number and the date of my birth. I remember your writing about stuff like this before when you said IRS does not do business by e-mail. In addition, I owed IRS $78 which I paid with my return . . . no refund was due. Please warn your readers that the scammers are at it again. I wouldn't be surprised if they're playing similar games by phone or regular mail.

What Harry says: You just did the warning. Please, dear readers, keep your eyes and ears open. With a tough economy where people are often in dire need, scammers, phishers, flim-flammers and their ilk are proliferating with plans to part you from your money either directly by fraudulent transactions or indirectly by stealing your identity. Don't give anyone your SS number or date of birth unless you are 100 percent (99 percent won't do) that the request is legitimate. If you want to check out something in that last 1 percent, write to me, and I will reply. Too often, as in your case, they make their stuff look authentic on the surface. I hope you recall the column I wrote a while ago about my own experience with a phone call about missing an appointment for jury duty. Be very skeptical about every request for personal information. *

Write Harry Gross c/o the Daily News, 400 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130. Harry urges all his readers to give blood - contact the American Red Cross at 800-GIVE LIFE.