ITR refund scam: Taxpayers warned by Income Tax department of this new scam

ITR refund scam: The Income Tax Department said that taxpayers must verify any communication from the IT department through official channels.

The Income Tax Department alerted taxpayers to be cautious of scams. The department advised taxpayers on social media to stay vigilant against deceptive calls and pop-up notifications claiming they are eligible for a tax refund. In case such a message is received, the Income Tax Department said that taxpayers must verify any communication from the IT department through official channels.

Income tax department advised taxpayers on social media to stay vigilant against deceptive calls and pop-up notifications claiming they are eligible for a tax refund.

Income Tax Department said on X (formerly Twitter), “Do not reply to emails or visit websites that request credit card numbers, bank account details, or any other sensitive information. The Income Tax Department may contact taxpayers through the email address provided.”

It added, “The fake message may read like this: You have been approved an Income Tax Refund of Rs, 15000/-, 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."

Income tax refund fraud: How can you report it

If you receive an email which you think is fraudulent, you must forward it to webmanager@incometax.gov.in. A copy can also be sent to incident@cert-in.org.in.

If you receive a phishing mail, forward the same to incident@cert-in.org.in, the Income Tax Department said.

What should you do to protect yourself from such scams?

1. If you receive an e-mail from someone claiming to be Income Tax Department or directing you to an Income Tax website, do not reply to the same or open any attachments in the email.

2. Do not click on any links or cut and paste the link from the message into your browsers.