Ms Botting stated that she was thrilled to know that she will receive $480 as bonus.

However, she became cautious when she noticed that the mail asked for her credit card number and credit limit, and driver's license details.

The recipients were informed to respond within one day so as to avoid any delay in the payment of the refund.

Further, the mail contains links to an authentic firm, Christchurch-based www.nztaxrefunds.co.nz, which left Ms Botting puzzled.

Fortunately, she discovered that the mail was inauthentic after contacting the company.

New Zealand Tax Refunds Customer Services Manager Maree Rae stated that their application form had been imitated by someone, but it was surely a scam mail, as per the reports by stuff.co.nz on January 7, 2011.

Also, the mail has just been around for just one day whereas a similar mail with the logo of Inland Revenue Department (IRD) had been around since December 29, 2010.

Security experts stated that hackers send fake mails known as phishing mails to numerous people everyday promising tax refunds and many more lucrative offers for them. They added that scam mails can by identified through the urgency conveyed by the hackers to compel scam mail recipients like the aforementioned case.

And it is because of this hurry that some people are deceived while some like Ms Botting remain conscious and succeed in overcoming them.

Tax Authorities recommend web users that they should report any such suspicious mails or online activity to them by contacting them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . They also advice users to delete the mail and not to click on any link in the mail and also not to respond to them.

Lastly, web users are also recommended to install effective Internet security software like anti-phishing filters so that phishing or scam mails are not able to pass through them.