New Delhi: The Income tax department has issued warnings to tax payers to not fall prey to scamsters who are defrauding people with fake ITR refund scam.

The Income Tax department has pointed out major red flags that ITR filers should identify if they come across such a message on email, or on their social media. (Also read: How Long Will It Take to Get Your ITR Refund)

Sharing several tweets on microblogging site X, the I-T department has said that tax payers should be wary of pop-up messages, stating that the department will never contact tax payers through pop-up windows. It has also asked tax payers to close any such message immediately and report it to the Income Tax department. (Also read: How To Check Tax Refund Status Online With PAN Card)

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— Income Tax Mumbai (@IncomeTaxMum) August 15, 2024

Sharing an instance of ITR fraud, the Income Tax department said a man lost Rs 1.5 lakh after clicking on a fake income tax refund message. He was directed to a fraudulent app, which led to his phone being hacked and money being debited from his account.

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— Income Tax Mumbai (@IncomeTaxMum) August 15, 2024

The Income tax department has also clarified that it never asks people for their personal information and has advised that people should never share details like OTP, Bank account, PAN, Aadhaar details with unknown people.

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— Income Tax Mumbai (@IncomeTaxMum) August 15, 2024

The I-T department has also asked tax payers to know the difference between real and fake and enter their tax information only on the official Income Tax Department website.

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— Income Tax Mumbai (@IncomeTaxMum) August 15, 2024

Income Tax department has highlighted 5 major points to spot the scam or fraud:

– Never respond to unsolicited messages or calls from strangers promising refunds

– Never trust unverified sources claiming to be from Income Tax Department

– Never Share Personal details such as OTP, bank account, PAN and Aadhaar details

– Never click on unverified links claiming to be linked to Income Tax Department

– e-Pay your Income tax only through official websites

ऑनलाइन धोखाधड़ी से सावधान रहें pic.twitter.com/UtGD7QAWLG
— Income Tax Mumbai (@IncomeTaxMum) August 15, 2024

Once the Income Tax Return (ITR) has been processed, the Centralized Processing Center (CPC) endeavors to process your tax refund within 20 to 45 days. With technological advancements, the average processing time for refunds has significantly decreased, making it faster and more efficient. However, it is essential to note that the timeline for receiving a refund may vary based on individual cases and circumstances.