Beware: Fake Income Tax Refund Emails Targeting Taxpayers

In today's digital era, cybercriminals use sophisticated methods to deceive unsuspecting individuals. One of the most common techniques is phishing — tricking people through fake emails and websites that appear to be from trusted sources like the Income Tax Department. Here's how you can identify, avoid, and report such scams.

🔍 What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of cyber fraud where scammers send emails pretending to be from a legitimate organization (like the Income Tax Department) to steal your personal or financial information — such as bank account details, passwords, or credit card numbers.

🧾 How to Identify a Fraudulent Tax Refund Email?

1. The email claims you are eligible for a tax refund.
2. It asks you to click a link or open an attachment.
3. It requests personal or banking information.
4. The sender’s email address seems suspicious (e.g., from a Gmail or unofficial domain).

⚠️ Income Tax Department Advisory:

The Income Tax Department never:

1. Sends emails asking for your PIN, passwords, or financial information.
2. Sends refund-related emails with links or attachments.
3. Asks you to enter personal data via email or through unofficial websites.

If you receive such an email:

• ❌ Do not reply to the sender.
• ❌ Do not open any attachments — they may contain malware.
• ❌ Do not click on any links.
• ❌ Do not copy-paste any suspicious URL into your browser.
• ✅ Use updated antivirus and firewall protection to safeguard your system.

📩 How to Report a Fraudulent Email or Website?

If you receive an email or see a website pretending to be from the Income Tax Department, report it immediately:

📧 Forward the email or link to:

webmanager@incometax.gov.in
incident@cert-in.org.in

You can either forward the original email or include the email header (which helps investigators trace the source). Once forwarded, delete the email from your inbox.

🛡️ Reporting Other Phishing Emails:

If the phishing email is not related to the Income Tax Department, you can still report it to:
incident@cert-in.org.in

🔐 Tips to Stay Safe Online:

• Use official websites only, e.g.,
• 🔗 https://www.incometax.gov.in
• Regularly change your passwords.
• Enable 2-Factor Authentication on all financial accounts.
• Be cautious of unusual emails, urgent refund claims, or unofficial attachments.

✅ Stay alert. Stay safe. Do not let scammers take away your hard-earned money. Awareness is your first defense!
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