Income Tax Refund of Rs 15,490 Approved for Taxpayers? Here's the Truth Behind the Viral Message

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A message claiming that recipients have been approved for an income tax refund of Rs 15,490 is going viral on social media and WhatsApp in Sri Lanka. This message is causing confusion among taxpayers who recently filed their Income Tax Returns (ITR). Let’s investigate the accuracy of this viral message and understand the truth behind it.

The Viral Message

The message circulating states: "You have been approved a tax refund of Rs 15,490 and the amount will be credited to your account number 5xxxxx6755. If this is not correct please update your bank account information by visiting the link below."

Fact Check

Indian fact-checkers, including the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit, have already investigated this message and confirmed it is fake. These fact-checkers have clarified that the message is a hoax designed to deceive taxpayers into sharing their personal information.

A viral message claims that the recipient has been approved for an income tax refund of ₹ 15,490.#PIBFactCheck

✔️ This claim is 𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞.

✔️ @IncomeTaxIndia has 𝐧𝐨𝐭 sent this message.

✔️𝐁𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 of such scams & 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 from sharing your personal information. pic.twitter.com/dsRPkhO3gg

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) August 2, 2023

What the Indian Income Tax Department Says

The Indian Income Tax Department has issued warnings to taxpayers to be cautious of such scams. They emphasized that:

Refunds are processed only after the ITR is duly reviewed.

The department does not send unsolicited messages asking for personal information or bank details.

Taxpayers should report any suspicious emails or messages to [email protected] or [email protected]. A fact-check article can be found here.

Sri Lankan Context

Recently, this misleading information has also started circulating in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan taxpayers need to be aware of the following:

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) of Sri Lanka processes tax refunds only after thorough review and approval.

Any legitimate communication from the IRD will come from official channels and will not request personal information via unsolicited messages or links.

Taxpayers should be vigilant and avoid clicking on links or sharing personal information from such messages.

Precautions for Sri Lankan Taxpayers

Do not click on suspicious links: These links may lead to phishing websites designed to steal your personal information.

Verify with official sources: Contact the IRD directly through their official contact points to confirm the legitimacy of any communication regarding tax refunds.

Report suspicious messages: Forward any suspicious emails or messages to the IRD for verification and further action.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, the viral message claiming an income tax refund of Rs 15,490 is a scam. Taxpayers in Sri Lanka and India should remain cautious and ensure they verify any such claims through official channels before sharing any personal information.