Income Tax Dept. issued warning to Taxpayers to beware of Fake Income Tax Refund Calls and Messages

The Income Tax Department has issued a warning to taxpayers over fake calls and messages about income tax refunds.

Scammers imitate tax authorities and obtain information about individuals’ bank accounts by tricking them, resulting in financial losses.

Beware of Fraudulent Messages and Calls related to Income Tax Refund

Scammers send deceptive messages that closely resemble authentic communication. The message is as follows:

“You have been approved an Income Tax Refund of Rs.15,000/-, the amount will be credited to your account shortly. Please verify your account number 5XXXXX6777. If this is not correct, please update your bank account information by visiting the link below: https://bit.ly/20wpUUX”

The Income Tax Department confirms that it does not send pop-up messages or third-party links for verification. All official contacts about taxes are handled solely through the official Income Tax portal.

A recent report found that a taxpayer lost Rs.1.5 lakh after replying to a fake income tax refund message. The individual was instructed to download a malicious application, which accessed their banking credentials and caused unauthorised withdrawals from their account.

Method to Protect Yourself from Tax Scams

Verify a Website: Before inputting any personal information, ensure sure the website URL starts with https:// and is linked to incometax.gov.in.

Do not click suspicious links: Avoid clicking on unlabelled links that claim to give income tax refunds and are provided via WhatsApp, email, or SMS.

Payments Are Never Requested by Phone: The government’s IT department does not contact taxpayers to collect urgent tax payments. Report these calls immediately and classify them as fraudulent.

Communicate Through Official Channels Only: To ensure security, enter your tax information into the official Income Tax e-filing portal.

How to Report a Scam?

If you suspect a malevolent attempt, you need to take action quickly.

• Report any suspicious emails or fake website URLs to [email protected].
• Report cyber fraud to [email protected].
• To get support, call the Income Tax Helpline at 1800 103 0025 or 1800 419 0025.

Stay Aware, Stay Secure!

With tax frauds on the rise, the income tax department urges all taxpayers to be extra caution, follow cybersecurity best practices, and report suspicious activity to avoid financial fraud.