Fake income tax notices are rising, targeting unsuspecting taxpayers across India.
Verify sender domain — only incometax.gov.in is official and valid.
Genuine notices carry a unique Document Identification Number for checks.
Never click suspicious links; report fraud and protect personal information.
If you ever get a message that looks like it's from the Income Tax Department but seems doubtful, avoid replying, opening attachments, or clicking on any links. If you've accidentally shared personal details, update your passwords right away and alert the authorities. Cases of people across India receiving fake tax notices and falling prey to fraudsters have been increasingly reported.
Instances of taxpayers across India having received fake notices and becoming targets of scammers have come to notice. So, you need to be careful.
Verify Sender And Domain For Authenticity
"To safeguard oneself, it is crucial first to examine the domain name of the email sender, as legitimate notices from the Income Tax Department originate only from official domains ending with incometax.gov.in," says Ankit Jain, partner, Ved Jain and Associates. Any discrepancy, such as subtly altered domains or unusual sender addresses, should immediately raise suspicion."
"All official notices or orders from the Income Tax Department come with a unique Document Identification Number (DIN). You can verify its authenticity anytime on the official website of the department, www.incometax.gov.in, by using the "Authenticate Notice/Order" option," says Deepak Kumar Jain, founder and CEO of TaxManager.in - the tax advisory and e-filing portal platform of Rising Advisory Services.
After checking the sender's domain, take time to verify every detail in the notice itself. Genuine communications will include accurate particulars such as PAN, name, and assessment year that correspond with the recipient's records. "Unusual or incorrect personal information, missing context, or vague references are clear indicators of potential fraud," says Jain.
In addition to checking phishing notices and communications, from a legal point of view, it is important for taxpayers to check procedural issues in notices also. "A simple procedure like no signature on the notice can make the notice null and void, as was held very recently by The Hon'ble ITAT, Rajkot Branch in the case of Dhanji Murji Hirani, Baladia Vs ITO (Int Tax)," says Vivek Jalan, partner, Tax Connect Advisory Services.
Report Immediately And Avoid Sharing Personal Info
If you get a doubtful message that appears to be from the Income Tax Department, avoid replying, opening attachments, or clicking on any links it contains. Immediately report to the relevant authorities and change your passwords if you share any personal information by mistake.
Never respond to any urgent requests mentioned and verify the sender's identity. "Always reach out to the Income Tax Department only through its official channels. Keep in mind that the department does not seek personal or financial details through emails, phone calls, or pop-up messages. By all means, one should never disclose any personal or financial information whatsoever," says Ritika Nayyar, partner, Singhania & Co.
