SCAM:- "Internal Revenue Service Notification"

LOTS of businesses have just had this email sent to them:- "After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax refund value is $189.60.

Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 days in order to IWP the data received. If u don't receive your refund within 9 business days from the original IRS mailing date shown, you can start a refund trace online.

If you distribute funds to other organization, your records must show weather they are exempt under section 497 (c) (15). In cases where the recipient org. is not exempt under section 497 (c) (15), you must have evidence the funds will be used for section 497 (c) (15) purposes.

If you distribute fund to individuals, you should keep case histories showing the recipient's name and address; the purpose of the award; the maner of section; and the realtionship of the recipient to any of your officers, directors, trustees, members, or major contributors.

To access the form for your tax refund, please click here

This notification has been sent by the Internal Revenue Service, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury.

Sincerely Yours,

John Stewart
Director, Exempt. Organization
Rulings and Agreements Letter
Internal Revenue Service"

The email comes from service@irs.gov but that is not the correct address. The link goes to transholidayconnexions.com.  Trading Standards have been contacted in the UK and in the USA. This email follows one purporting to be from the Inland Revenue a few days back, that some businesses have told us about.   This one how ever is a lot easier to spot as a fake, as why would we have the IRS contacting us in the UK?

If you get them, delete them and inform Trading Standards. Always check before supplying information. If you want more information about this type of scam you can email us to and we will send out a help file to you.

MEPs’ expenses

WITH the imminence of the European Parliament elections on 4 June 2009, and the recent news on expenses of Westminster MPs, attention is now being given to MEPs’ expenses. Following a long campaign, a common salary for all MEPs was finally agreed on, by all EU governments and by the European Parliament, to start immediately following this year’s election. Henceforward MEPs will be paid a common salary of € 7,665 a month (ca. €92,000) before tax.   Simon Duffin from the UK European Parliament Office has contacted us after spotting several common errors in National press and thought he should corrected them:-   "I thing it only correct to let people know the true information about MEP's before the elections. So these are a few bits of information that will help your readers to know the correct information:-

• The salary is expressed in euro, not in pounds and when agreed was approximately the same as the current UK MPs salary. It has apparently risen recently only because of the decline of the pound against the euro. If in future the euro depreciates against the pound, the salary in pounds will reduce.

• The salary will be taxed at EU rates, which rise to 45% at the margin, somewhat higher than current UK rates. Moreover, the British Government has decided that UK MEPs should pay the same tax as UK taxpayers, and will levy any additional tax required to bring them up to that level.

• In parallel with the introduction of the common salary, the travel expenses regime has been reformed, and as from July 2009 MEPs’ travel expenses will be reimbursed on the basis of receipts.

• The European Parliament has banned the practice, common in the House of Commons, of employing relatives as assistants. Family members already employed by MEPs will be able to continue until 2014, but no new contracts for relatives will be allowed from July 2009.

• Assistants in future will be employed as temporary officials of the institution, and the MEP will choose the person, but will have no financial relationship with them.

• MEPs do not benefit from a Second Home allowance or “John Lewis list”. Instead they receive a per diem allowance, currently €298, which is intended to cover costs of accommodation, meals and local transport while in Brussels or Strasbourg.

• MEPs receive a flat-rate allowance of € 4200 per month to cover the cost of running an office in their constituency, including postage, stationery, telephones, computers, subscriptions, heat and light, and travel within the constituency and the Member State, roughly on a par with the allowances for MPs. Receipts are not required.

• MEPs do not receive the following other Westminster allowances: travel for the family to the place of work; free trips to parliaments in other European Member States.

• Pension fund:- this is now closed to further members, and will gradually phase out as existing members pass away. Steps have been taken to avoid any need for additional funding.

• Transitional allowances are much the same as for Westminster MPs or if anything a little less generous.

I hope this is of help to your readers. and thank you for your support."

FURTHER CHARGES - MURDER OF DAVID GARRITY

MERSEYSIDE Police on Wednesday, 27 May 2009, have charged two women with attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the murder of David Garrity.

Nicola Jane Occleston, 23, of Renwick Road, Walton Vale and Toni Zoi McCall, 21, of Worcester Road, Bootle have both charged and have been given conditional Bail to appear at Liverpool City Magistrates Court on 12 June 2009.

Mr Garrity, aged 32, from Kirkdale, was shot dead just before 3am on Sunday, 15 June 2008, as he cycled along Stanley Road in Liverpool.