PIB Fact Check Warns Taxpayers Against Fake Notice Demanding Rs 6,000

The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check team has warned taxpayers against a fraudulent notice circulating online that falsely claims to be from the Income Tax Department and demands a payment of Rs 6,000 towards tax obligations.

The official fact-checking unit confirmed that the message is part of a phishing scam designed to deceive recipients. The viral communication has caused concern among taxpayers, particularly those awaiting refunds or those who have already cleared their dues, creating panic that could lead individuals to transfer money without verifying the legitimacy of the request.

In a statement posted on X, the PIB Fact Check team clarified that the Income Tax Department does not issue such notices and urged citizens to rely strictly on official sources for verified information.

Authorities noted that the scam operates as phishing fraud, where attackers send messages mimicking financial institutions, social media platforms, payment processors, or IT administrators to lure recipients into sharing sensitive credentials. The Income Tax Department stated that it does not send emails asking for confidential information such as passwords, PINs, or access details for bank accounts, credit cards, or other financial accounts.

Taxpayers have been advised not to reply to emails claiming to represent the tax department, nor to open attachments that may contain malicious code. Officials also warned against clicking links in suspicious messages or entering bank and credit card details on unverified pages. Copying and pasting links from suspicious messages into a browser should also be avoided, as fraudsters often make deceptive links appear genuine while redirecting users to fraudulent sites.

The department recommended maintaining updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software with active firewalls to protect against malware embedded in phishing emails.

Citizens who encounter suspicious messages related to the central government can report them to the PIB Fact Check team via WhatsApp at +91 8799711259 or by email at [email protected]. Deceptive emails or websites claiming to represent the Income Tax Department can be forwarded to [email protected], with a copy sent to [email protected].