Bhubaneswar, Aug. 5 (UDN): The Commissionerate Police on Tuesday issued a public advisory cautioning taxpayers against a surge in fake Income Tax notices being circulated through WhatsApp, warning that cybercriminals are exploiting the ongoing belated Income Tax Return (ITR) filing season to defraud unsuspecting citizens.
Pic Credit: x.com/cpbbsrctc
WhatsApp ରେ ଆସୁଥିବା ନକଲି Income Tax Notice, Link କିମ୍ବା Attachment ଠକେଇର ମାଧ୍ୟମ ହୋଇପାରେ।
❌ ଅଜଣା .zip କିମ୍ବା .exe ଫାଇଲ୍ Download କରନ୍ତୁ ନାହିଁ।
🔐 ନିଜର Banking Details, Password ଓ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ତଥ୍ୟ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ରଖନ୍ତୁ।👉 କୌଣସି Tax Notice ଉପରେ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରିବା ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଏହାର ସତ୍ୟତା ଯାଞ୍ଚ… pic.twitter.com/8TBYhc0EHd
— COMMISSIONERATE POLICE (@cpbbsrctc) August 4, 2026
According to the advisory, fraudsters are posing as officials of the Income Tax Department and sending deceptive messages containing fake tax notices, malicious links and suspicious file attachments. The objective is to trick users into downloading malware or sharing sensitive personal and financial information.
Police have urged taxpayers not to open or download files, particularly those with .zip or .exe extensions, received from unknown or unverified sources. Such files may contain malicious software capable of compromising mobile phones and computers, allowing cybercriminals to steal banking credentials, passwords and other confidential data.
The advisory also warns against messages promising tax refunds or demanding immediate action to avoid penalties or resolve tax-related issues. Citizens have been advised to verify the authenticity of any Income Tax communication only through official government platforms before responding or clicking on any links.
Emphasising the importance of cyber hygiene, the Commissionerate Police reminded the public never to share banking details, passwords, one-time passwords (OTPs) or other confidential information through messaging apps, emails or unverified websites.
The warning is part of the Commissionerate Police’s ongoing cyber awareness initiative to educate citizens about emerging online frauds and promote safe digital practices. Officials noted that scammers often become more active during the tax filing period, targeting taxpayers with convincing but fraudulent messages.
Appealing to the public to remain vigilant, the police urged citizens to ignore suspicious communications and report any attempted cyber fraud to the appropriate authorities.
“Awareness remains the strongest defence against cybercrime. Stay alert and verify before you trust,” the advisory said.
