The Income Tax Department has issued a warning against fraudulent refund emails and fake websites impersonating its official portal.
The department clarified that it never seeks personal details such as PINs, passwords, or bank information through email.
In an advisory shared on X and highlighted by PIB Fact Check, taxpayers were urged to stay cautious of emails claiming to offer tax refunds or instructions to download e-PAN cards.
The department said these scams are part of a wider phishing attempt designed to steal sensitive financial information.
Phishing, the department explained, involves tricking users into revealing confidential details by posing as a trusted organisation. Such emails often direct recipients to counterfeit websites that closely resemble legitimate ones, urging them to enter personal data.
The PIB Fact Check also noted that recent fake emails carry subject lines like “Download e-PAN Card Online: A Step-by-Step Guide.”
These messages use official-looking logos and language to appear genuine, but clicking on their links can lead to malicious websites or trigger the download of harmful attachments.
The income tax department advised citizens not to reply to suspicious emails or open any attachments, as they may contain malicious code that can infect computers.
It further cautioned users against clicking on any links or pasting them into browsers, since such links could redirect to fake websites designed to capture sensitive information.
The department urged taxpayers to use updated antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software to protect their devices from unauthorised access.
It also appealed to the public to report any suspicious emails or fake websites by forwarding them to webmanager@incometax.gov.in and incident@cert-in.org.in, adding that after reporting, the messages should be deleted immediately.
The department reiterated that legitimate communication will never ask for confidential details and warned that cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to deceive users — making vigilance the first line of defence.