Attorney General Kelly Ayotte issues this warning based on complaints the Consumer Protection Bureau has received regarding an e-mail Internet scam that has become prevalent in recent days.

The e-mail purports to be from the Internal Revenue Service with the subject line:

Submit the Stimulus Payment Online

The body of the e-mail reads as follows:

The Secure Way to Receive Your Stimulus Payment: After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a Stimulus Payment. Please submit the Stimulus Payment Online Form in order to process it.

A Stimulus Payment can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.

To access the form for your Stimulus Payment, please click here.

For security reasons, we will record your ip-address, the date and time. Deliberate wrong inputs are criminally pursued and indicated.

Regards, Internal Revenue Service

This is a scam, do not respond. Do not provide personal or financial information.

In this particularly difficult economic environment, General Ayotte warns consumers to pay very close attention to all mail and e-mail they receive claiming that they have, in some fashion, earned a financial reimbursement or award from any source.

General Ayotte advises that the Internal Revenue Service does not conduct business via the Internet. Scam artists can reproduce the IRS insignia perfectly, so you cannot rely of the official looking appearance of the e-mail. General Ayotte strongly encourages citizens to be educated consumers and offers the reminder, "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Consumers should guard against being deceived by logos or insignias that appear genuine." Consumers are urged to place an independent call to the legitimate agency or company, preferably to its local office, to confirm whether the e-mail originated from the legitimate government agency.

If you, or a family member or friend, questions the authenticity of any e-mail or mail offer, please contact the NH Attorney General's Office, Consumer Protection & Antitrust Bureau, 33 Capitol Street, Concord, NH 03301. You can reach us by calling (603) 271-3641 or toll-free in New Hampshire at 1-888-468-4454, TDD 1-800-735-2964.