Received SMS – Email for GST or Income Tax Refund? Know how to check if it is real

It has been observed that some fraudulent messages are being circulated on WhatsApp, Email and SMS, claiming to process GST refund. It clearly shows that some miscreants have started to take undue advantage of Covid-19 crisis, by sending out fake messages with phishing links. One such link takes to a portal claimed to have been developed by GSTN. The same is fake and Government has notified only www.gst.gov.in as the common portal, under the GST Laws.

Through such links, the taxpayers are asked to fill important information such as- Personal details, Address, Refund Details and KYC Verification, which may not just cause financial losses to the taxpayer, but also enable such unscrupulous elements to steal their personal data for mala fide intentions

Please be informed that GST refunds can be claimed through GST portal www.gst.gov.in only. Any other source, portal with similar interface, message claiming to process GST refunds are fraudulent. Please also note that GST Network does not ask personal information, refund details and KYC verification through email, WhatsApp or SMS or through any other website. Taxpayers are advised to remain cautious against such messages and use GST portal for refund application or any other GST related activity.

How to Check GST Refund Status ?

Use only GST portal www.gst.gov.in for claiming refunds

For any information on claiming GST refund, checking status of the refund application read https://www.gst.gov.in/help/refund

Remember that GST Network never call detailed personal information and refund details on email, WhatsApp or SMS

Stay updated with News & Update section of www.gst.gov.in for any official and authorized information

In case of any query of confusion, please call GST helpdesk 1800-103-4786.

Do not reply to any message claiming to process GST refunds

Do not open any link or attachment in the message

Never fill any personal detail and other information on any platform other than GST portal for claiming refunds

Do not call at the number mentioned in the message

Do not trust information from any source other than the GST portal which uses similar portal names and interface

Reporting and Identification of Phishing, Fraudulent Refund E-mail Scams and Fake Income Tax Web Sites

The Income Tax Department does not request detailed personal information through e-mail. The Income Tax Department does not send e-mail requesting your PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.

Advisory From Income Tax Department

• 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.
• Do not cut and paste the link from the message into your browsers, 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.

Reporting for Fake Website or URL to Income Tax Department

• 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 a phishing mail not pertaining to the Income Tax Department, forward the same to incident@cert-in.org.in

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