New Delhi: In today’s digital era, our reliance on technology has opened doors to convenience but also increased the prevalence of online scams. According to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest annual report, fraud cases in the banking sector have surged by nearly 300 per cent over the past two years, reaching 36,075 cases in the financial year 2023-24. This alarming trend underscores the need for heightened awareness among the public about online fraud.
Income Tax Dept alerts taxpayers
To combat these scams, the Income Tax department has taken proactive measures to educate taxpayers. Recently, through a tweet on social media platform X, it issued a crucial advisory. The I-T department cautioned taxpayers against trusting unsolicited calls or falling prey to fake pop-ups that claim to be from the Income Tax Department. At times, taxpayers get scammed in the name of refund. I-T Department has asked taxpayers to be vigilant about these scams.
Kind Attention Taxpayers!
🚨 Don’t fall for fake pop-up messages! #StaySafeOnline#CyberCrimePrevention pic.twitter.com/USapVlhwnF
— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) July 17, 2024
Beware of this message
The tweet from the Income Tax Department highlighted specific tactics used by scammers. For instance, they warned taxpayers about fraudulent messages promising tax refunds and requesting personal banking details through suspicious links. These messages, often designed to create panic, trick unsuspecting individuals into divulging sensitive information hastily.
Income Tax department has informed in a tweet that scammers might send you messages like “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 below. https://bit.ly/20wpUUX”. These are fake message sent by scammers. These messages create panic in taxpayers, and in haste, they click on the link without verifying.
Don’t fall for Pop-up messages
Moreover, the Income Tax Department clarified that they never use pop-up windows to communicate with taxpayers. They emphasised that if anyone encounters such pop-ups, they should immediately close them and report the incident through their official website’s phishing reporting page.
In addition to these precautions, the Income Tax Department provided helpline numbers (1800 103 0025 | 1800 419 0025) for taxpayers to verify the authenticity of any communication purportedly from them. These measures aim not only to protect individuals from financial losses but also to preserve trust in digital financial transactions.
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Income tax refund scam: Income Tax department has shared tips to protect taxpayers from refund scams. In a tweet, they have shared tips on How can individuals recognize and protect themselves against financial fraud. You can complain about any financial fraud with I-T Department. Personal Finance Business News – Personal Finance News, Share Market News, BSE/NSE News, Stock Exchange News Today
