Big Alert for Taxpayers: Beware of Fake Income Tax Notices

Income taxpayers have been warned about a new phishing scam in which cybercriminals are sending fake SMS messages and emails in the name of the Income Tax Department. The messages reportedly claim that the recipient has an outstanding tax payment of Rs.6,000 and threaten that their bank account will be frozen if the amount is not paid immediately. PIB Fact Check has warned that such messages are fraudulent and advised taxpayers not to click on the links provided.

The fraudulent links may redirect users to websites that resemble the official Income Tax e-filing portal. Victims may then be asked to enter sensitive information such as PAN details, bank account information, passwords or OTPs, which can be misused by fraudsters. Taxpayers should verify any notice by directly visiting the official Income Tax e-filing portal and checking the Pending Actions or e-Proceedings section after logging in. They should never share PINs or OTPs through links received via SMS or WhatsApp. Suspicious cyber fraud attempts can be reported through the appropriate cybercrime reporting channels.