Watch out for Tax Refund Scams; Income Tax Department Alert for FY2023-24
Recently, the Income Tax Department issued a public warning and asked everybody to be vigilant against such scams involving fake tax refunds. These fraudsters are convincing people through calls or pop-up notifications that they are eligible for a tax refund.
The department therefore advised taxpayers not to respond to e-mails or websites that seek credit card or bank account information. Let it be remembered that the Income Tax Department shall communicate only to the email ID provided by you.
Example of a Fake Message
One common scam message might look like this:
You are eligible for an Income Tax Refund of Rs 15,000/-. The amount will be credited to your account shortly. Please verify your account no. 5XXXXX6777. If this is not correct please update your bank account information by visiting the link below: “https://bit.ly/20wpUUX”.
Recently, a man lost Rs.1.5 lakhs by clicking on a fake refund message. He was asked to download the fraudulent app, which entered his phone and hacked it to drain money from his bank account.
How to Report Income Tax Refund Fraud
In case you receive any suspicious mail or access any website claiming to belong to the Income Tax Department, please forward the e-mail or website URL to [email protected]. You may also copy the same to [email protected].
Advisory from the Income Tax Department
Following are some of the essential steps to be taken by you in case any email is received claiming to have been sent by the Income Tax Department:
- Do not reply to the email.
- Be wary of attachments: Do not open them. These are ways through which your computer may get infected.
- Never click on links from suspicious emails or websites. If you click on a link in a suspicious email or website, don’t enter personal or financial information.
- Never copy and paste the link into your browser. Scammers can make a link look okay, but it might lead you to a fake site.
- Always update your anti-virus software, anti-spyware, and firewall. These things can help protect your computer against some of the bad files that phishers may send.
By being vigilant and following these steps, you can greatly reduce the possibility of becoming a victim of tax refund fraud.
