CBIC, I-T Dept warn against fake GST refund messages

at 4:17 pm

New Delhi (NVI): The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Income Tax department have warned taxpayers not to fall prey to fake messages on GST Refunds by clicking on unverified links.

Apart from CBIC and IT-Department, GSTN network has also asked the people to be careful with any tax refund message as it could be a phishing message to trick the assessees.

“Taxpayers Beware !!! Please do not click on any fake link which promises to give refund. These are phishing messages and are not sent by CBIC or @Infosys_GSTN. Visit http://gst.gov.in for online filings related to GST #IndiaFightsCorona #StaySafe,” CBIC tweeted yesterday. It was also retweeted by PIB’s Fact Check Unit that is an initiative by the Press information Bureau to bust fake news on the internet and social media, especially during the lockdown.

The Income Tax department also tweeted saying: “Taxpayers Beware! Please do not click on any fake link which promises to give refund. These are phishing messages and are not sent by the Income Tax Department.

https://twitter.com/IncomeTaxIndia/status/1256815018596634627

A typical fake message, designed to look like an official message from the department, reads like this:”Due to Covid-19 outbreak, central govt. has decided to provide tax refund to ALL taxpayers, in order to provide them financial ease during lockdown. Click below to claim your refund. (Phishing web link)”.

In order to help the taxpayers during the ongoing financial crisis during lockdown, the I-T Department has expedited the process of issuing all pending tax refunds up to Rs 5 lakh.

Till April 21, the department had issued nearly 14 lakh refunds involving an amount of Rs 9,000 crore to various taxpayers.

Ever since the government decided to fast track income and GST refunds to help taxpayers during the lockdown period, such fake messages are doing the round on social media.

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