Income Tax Dept Warns: Beware of Fake Emails Asking for Manual Verification

Income Tax Department Sounds the Alarm on Fake Verification Emails

The Income Tax Department has issued a crucial advisory, alerting Indian citizens to a surge in fraudulent emails circulating online. These emails often masquerade as official communications from the department, attempting to trick individuals into divulging sensitive personal and financial information.

Spotting the Scam: How to Identify Fake Income Tax Emails

These phishing emails often use deceptive tactics to appear legitimate. Be wary of emails that:

• Request manual verification of your Income Tax Return (ITR) details.
• Contain urgent or threatening language, pressuring you to act immediately.
• Have suspicious sender addresses or grammatical errors.
• Ask for sensitive information such as your PAN card number, bank account details, or passwords.
• Include links to unverified or unfamiliar websites.

Protecting Yourself: Reporting Suspicious Activity

The Income Tax Department has emphasized that it never requests sensitive information via email. If you receive a suspicious email, do not click on any links or attachments. Instead, take the following steps:

• Verify the authenticity of the email by contacting the Income Tax Department directly through their official website or helpline.
• Report the phishing attempt to the Income Tax Department’s cyber security cell.
• If the email, even if not directly related to income tax, attempts to phish for other personal/financial data, forward the email to [email protected] to aid in preventing potential cyber frauds. This is India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).

Staying vigilant and informed is crucial to protecting yourself from these fraudulent schemes. Remember, your financial security is in your hands. Report suspicious activity immediately.