Filing your taxes? Beware of fake IT refund scams, warns TGCSB

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau has warned taxpayers about fake Income Tax refund scams during the filing season, where fraudsters impersonate officials through SMS, emails, and phishing links to steal sensitive information.

Hyderabad: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has issued a public advisory warning citizens against fake Income Tax refund scams during the ongoing income tax filing season. The bureau cautioned citizens that cyber crooks are impersonating Income Tax Department officials to steal money, banking credentials and sensitive personal information.

According to the advisory, fraudsters are sending deceptive SMS messages and emails claiming that an Income Tax refund has been approved. These messages typically contain a “Claim Now” button or a malicious link that redirects users to phishing websites designed to steal bank account details, PAN, Aadhaar information, passwords and One-Time Passwords (OTPs).

---

A senior official of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau said cyber criminals exploit the tax filing season by creating panic and a false sense of urgency among taxpayers. “The Income Tax Department will never ask taxpayers to share OTPs, passwords, CVV numbers or banking credentials through phone calls, messages or emails. Citizens should verify all tax-related communications only through official government portals and refrain from clicking on suspicious links,” the official said.

The advisory highlighted that taxpayers should watch for unsolicited messages about refunds or tax penalties, links seeking PAN, Aadhaar or bank account details, calls or messages asking for OTPs, passwords or CVV numbers, APK files or attachments from unknown numbers, and messages threatening legal action unless immediate payment is made.

The bureau advised citizens not to share personal or financial information in response to unsolicited communications and to avoid downloading applications from unverified sources. It also urged taxpayers to access Income Tax services only through official government websites.

People who receive such fraudulent messages have been advised to report them through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, call the national cyber crime helpline at 1930, or send details to the Telangana Cyber Fraud Registry WhatsApp number 8712672222.