Recently, a viral message surfaced claiming that a recipient has been approved for an income tax refund of ₹ 15,490. This message is FAKE.
The Income Tax Department will never send you a message asking you to verify your bank account details or click on a link to update your information. If you receive a message like this, do not click on any links or provide any personal information.
The following are some of the red flags that indicate that the message is a phishing scam
- The message is unsolicited.
- The message asks you to provide personal information, such as your bank account details or your PAN number.
- The message contains a link that you are asked to click on.
If you receive a message like this, do not click on any links or provide any personal information. Instead, you can check the status of your income tax refund on the official website of the Income Tax Department or the NSDL website. You can also check your refund status by calling the Income Tax helpline number.
Here are some tips to help you avoid falling for phishing scams
- Be wary of any unsolicited messages, especially those that ask you to provide personal information.
- Do not click on links in emails or text messages from people you do not know.
- If you are unsure whether a message is legitimate, contact the sender directly using a phone number or email address that you have verified.
- Keep your computer's security software up to date.
If you have already provided your personal information to a phishing scammer, you should take steps to protect yourself, such as
- Placing a fraud alert on your credit report.
- Monitoring your credit report for suspicious activity.
- Changing your passwords for all online accounts.
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