ITR filing alert: Don't fall for fake messages claiming a tax refund of Rs 15,490

Notably, the refund is sent only after the ITR is duly processed by the Income Tax Department. In case the ITR is not processed and the tax department needs additional information, it sends an intimation to the registered email ids of taxpayers.

The ITR refund is usually issued within 7 to 120 days from the date the return was filed.

Earlier this month, banking customers also received phishing emails requesting them to click on tax website to receive a refund. Later, income tax department issued an advisory asking taxpayers not to share their personal information via email.

According to the Income tax website, “If you receive an e-mail or find a website you think is pretending to be of Income Tax Department, forward the e-mail or website URL to webmanager@incometax.gov.in. A copy may also be forwarded to incident@cert-in.org.in You may forward the message as received or provide the Internet header of the e-mail. The Internet header has additional information to help us locate the sender. After you forward the e-mail or header information to us, delete the message.”

"If you receive an e-mail from someone claiming to be the authorized by Income Tax Department or directing you to an Income Tax website, do not reply. Do not open any attachments. Attachments may contain malicious code that will infect your computer. Do not click on any links. If you clicked on links in a suspicious e-mail or phishing website then do not enter confidential information like bank account, credit card details," the tax department said.

"Do not cut and paste the link from the message into your browser. Phishers can make link look like real, but it actually send you to different websites.

Use anti-virus software, anti spyware, and a firewall and keep them updated. Some phishing e-mails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the internet without your knowledge. Anti-virus & Anti-spyware software and firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files," it said.