Income Tax authorities caution against refund scam

The Income Tax Department has cautioned taxpayers to beware of scams. The department has advised taxpayers to stay vigilant against online scams such as fake calls and pop-up notifications stating that they can avail of tax refunds.

Verify messages

Taxpayers should verify IT refund messages with the department, an official post on X said.

“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,” the IT department said on X.

“The fake message may read like this: `You have been approved for an Income Tax Refund of Rs, 15,000, and 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.'

Taxpayers should forward such fraudulent messages and emails to the IT department's official website. "If you receive an email that you think is fraudulent, you must forward it to [email protected]. A copy can also be sent to [email protected]."

“If you receive a phishing mail, forward the same to [email protected],” the Tax Department said.

The IT department warned taxpayers not to reply to or open attachments of fake emails or emails from someone claiming to be from the tax department. Taxpayers should not click any links or cut and paste such links into their browsers. People should also protect their sensitive information such as OTP, passwords, or Aadhaar information.

Income tax refund

An income tax refund is the refund amount that the Income Tax Department gives back when the amount of tax paid is more than the actual amount due. The income tax refund process begins after the return is e-verified by the taxpayer. Usually, it takes around 4 to 5 weeks for the refund to be credited to bank accounts.

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