RIP-OFF ALERT: Have you gotten an e-mail that appears to be from the IRS and says you're owed a small refund or perhaps have some unclaimed stimulus money?

It's that time of year again when crooks come out of the woodwork pretending to be part of the IRS.

These e-mails are typically branded with the IRS logo and look legit. They sometimes originate from an address that ends in ".us," which most people think is a sign of authenticity. A ".us" domain name, however, is the same as a ".com" -- it could be set up by anybody. Some of these e-mails may even come from an address that ends in ".gov," signifying a government organization.

But know this: The IRS does not send e-mails to taxpayers or request detailed personal info through e-mail. For specific examples of fake IRS e-mail scams, please see IRS.gov.

The bogus e-mails explain that the money you're supposedly owed will be deposited into your account -- provided that you send your account number and secret access code. If you comply, your account will be cleaned out by cyber-criminals.