Income Tax Refund Phishing — Fake Refund Emails & SMS
A message about money coming to you is often more convincing than one asking you to pay — which is exactly why refund scams work so well.
What this scam looks like
Around tax season especially, you receive an email or SMS claiming the Income Tax Department has approved a refund for you, and you need to click a link to "verify your bank account" to receive it. The link leads to a fake page closely resembling the real income tax portal, designed to capture your bank login, card details, or an OTP.
Why it works
The promise of receiving money — rather than being asked for it — lowers people's guard. Fake pages are often visually convincing, copying the real portal's design closely, and the timing around tax season makes the message feel plausible even to people who are normally cautious.
Red flags to watch for
- Any refund message asking you to click a link and enter bank login details or an OTP
- URLs that look similar to, but don't exactly match, the official incometax.gov.in domain
- Unexpected refund notifications when you haven't recently filed or amended a return
- Messages creating urgency around a deadline to "claim" the refund
How to protect yourself
Check refund status only by logging into the official Income Tax e-filing portal directly (typing the address yourself, not clicking a link), or through the official app. The department does not ask for your bank login credentials or OTP via email or SMS links — it does not need that information to process a refund into an account you've already registered with them.
If this has already happened to you
If you entered any details on a suspicious link, follow the steps on our "I've Been Scammed" page immediately.
This article is general awareness information, not legal advice. See our disclaimer for details.