Beware of ITR refund scam! You may lose lakhs with new income tax refund fraud – check I-T department advisory – Times of India

Beware of Income Tax Refund scams! The Income Tax Department has issued a warning to taxpayers, urging them to exercise caution against fraudulent refund schemes. The department has advised individuals to remain alert and vigilant against deceptive calls and pop-up notifications claiming they are eligible for a tax refund.
To avoid falling victim to such scams, taxpayers are recommended to verify any communication from the I-T department through official channels.It is crucial not to respond to emails or visit websites that request sensitive information such as credit card numbers or bank account details.
A fraudulent message may appear as follows:
“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.”

According to an ET report, in a separate post, the I-T department shared an incident where an individual lost Rs 1.5 lakh after clicking on a fake refund message. The victim was directed to a fraudulent app, which resulted in his phone being hacked and money being debited from his account.
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What is the Income Tax Department advisory on income tax refund scams?

The Income Tax Department has issued an advisory regarding potential fraudulent emails claiming to be from authorized representatives or directing individuals to supposed Income Tax websites. It is crucial to exercise caution and follow these guidelines to protect yourself from falling victim to such scams.
Firstly, if you receive a suspicious email – Do not reply! Engaging with the sender may lead to further complications.
Secondly, don’t open any attachments. Attachments may contain malicious code that will infect your computer. These attachments can harm your device and compromise your security.
Thirdly, don’t click on any links. If you have mistakenly clicked on links in a suspicious e-mail or phishing website then do not enter confidential information like bank account, credit card details. Clicking on these links may redirect you to fraudulent websites designed to steal your sensitive information.
Fourthly, avoid copying and pasting the link from the message into your browser. Phishers can make links look legitimate, but they may actually redirect you to different websites.
Lastly, Install and regularly update anti-virus software, anti-spyware programs, and a firewall. Some phishing emails may contain malicious software that can damage your computer or monitor your online activities without your consent. These protective tools help safeguard you from unintentionally accepting harmful files.
Also Read | New Budget 2024 rule: Why Income Tax Department is likely to issue a huge number of tax notices this month

How to report an Income tax refund fraud

If you come across an email or website that appears to be masquerading as the Income Tax Department, please take the following steps to report it:
1. Forward the suspicious email or website URL to webmanager@incometax.gov.in. You can also send a copy of the email or URL to incident@cert-in.org.in.
2. When forwarding the email, you have two options:
– Forward the message as you received it, or
– Include the Internet header of the e-mail, which contains additional information that can help trace the sender.
3. After forwarding the e-mail or header information to the appropriate authorities, delete the message from your inbox.
If you receive a phishing mail that is not related to the Income Tax Department, please forward it to incident@cert-in.org.in.