The last date to file ITR or income tax returns has passed and scammers have become active. As per the reports, frauds are being reported in the name of income tax refunds, so the people who have filed ITRs have to stay cautious. The Income Tax Department has issued a warning to the taxpayers, to stay alert of the fraud messages.
According to the reports, more than seven crore people have filed for ITR, across the country. The scammers have started to engage in high-tech fraud attempts with income tax refunds as a scapegoat. The Cybercriminals are sending fake income tax refund messages to the consumers and stealing the money.
The reports state that the users are being sent a link and asked to issue an amount of income tax refund on that link. As soon as the consumers are clicking on the link, money is being taken out from their respective accounts. The income tax department has issued a strict warning to the taxpayer, regarding the fraud messages.
The Income Department has warned not to engage or click on any link claiming to be an income tax refund. Furthermore, it has asked the users to not share any type of OTP, PAN card information and any other related details through the phone. The Cyber Cell has also issued a warning to the users, asking them to be wary of ITR messages. According to the cybercrime police, this is a new bank fraud tactic one should be aware of. They have also asked to inform the same to friends and acquaintances.
More reports state that the scammers are also engaging in fraud calls, where they demand the taxpayer immediate payments. They pose as IT Department officials and pressurize the consumer to make an urgent payment to avoid a penalty. The IT Department has warned that it does not contact a consumer through calls to ask for immediate payments. Such calls should be treated as suspicious and the authorities must be informed.
