The New WhatsApp Scam
Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the ITR filing season with a dangerous new scam delivered through WhatsApp. According to cybersecurity firm CloudSEK and official warnings, taxpayers are receiving fake notices that look remarkably real, complete
with the Government of India emblem. These messages often claim a discrepancy has been found in your tax filing and threaten prosecution, creating a sense of urgency by giving you only 72 hours to respond. This tactic preys on the natural anxiety people feel about taxes, pushing them to act before they think. The messages contain a malicious ZIP file, often named something like 'ITD.zip', which unsuspecting users are prompted to open.
How the Malware Works
Opening the attached ZIP file can have devastating consequences. On Android devices, it can install malware capable of reading your SMS messages, including one-time passwords (OTPs) from banks. It can also capture your keystrokes and present fake login screens for your banking apps to steal your credentials directly. If the file is opened on a computer via WhatsApp Web, it can install a program that gives attackers remote access to your entire system. Scammers also create fake websites that are nearly identical to the official Income Tax e-filing portal, tricking you into entering your PAN, Aadhaar, password, and bank details.
Red Flags: How to Spot a Fake
The Income Tax Department has repeatedly clarified its communication methods. It's crucial to remember these points to identify a scam instantly. First, the Income Tax Department never sends official notices, penalty orders, or summons via WhatsApp. Any communication on this platform claiming to be from the department is fake. Second, the department will never ask for your PINs, passwords, OTPs, or bank account details via email, SMS, or any other channel. Be wary of emails from unofficial domains; a real email will come from an address ending in '@incometax.gov.in'. Other warning signs include messages that create unnecessary urgency, contain grammatical errors, or have suspicious links to websites that don't end in '.gov.in'.
Your Best Defence: The Official Portal
The most effective way to protect yourself is to ignore unsolicited communications and rely exclusively on the official Income Tax e-filing portal. The correct and secure address is https://www.incometax.gov.in. If you receive a notice or a message about a refund, do not click any links. Instead, close the message and manually type the official URL into your browser. Log in to your account using your PAN and password. All legitimate notices, demands, and information about your refund status will be available in your dashboard. This single habit of verifying everything directly on the portal defeats nearly every scam attempt.
Steps to Verify Information Officially
Once you are logged into the official portal, you can find all the information you need. To check for any filed returns or notices, navigate to the 'e-File' menu, then 'Income Tax Returns', and finally 'View Filed Returns'. Here, you will see a timeline of your filings and the status of each one, including any refunds. You can also view and download your Form 26AS, which is your annual tax statement, to check the tax that has been deducted and deposited against your PAN. If you see a discrepancy or have a question, use the official helpdesk numbers provided on the portal, not numbers sent to you in a random message. If you suspect you have received a phishing attempt, you can report it to webmanager@incometax.gov.in and incident@cert-in.org.in.
