Income Tax Notice Alert: How to Check if Yours is Genuine or Fake

G GOWTHAM
As the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing season kicks off, taxpayers need to stay vigilant. Scammers are increasingly sending fake tax notices to trick people into giving away personal information or money. Here’s how you can protect yourself.


1. Why You Might Receive a Tax Notice

  • The Income Tax Department sends notices for genuine issues, such as:
    • Errors in your filed return
    • Missing information
    • Not filing your ITR by the deadline
  • Receiving a notice can be stressful, but not all notices are legitimate.

2. red Flags for Fake Notices

  • Fake notices often come via email or SMS with urgent messages.
  • They may include links asking for sensitive information—never click on them without verification.
  • No Document Identification Number (DIN): Genuine notices always include a unique DIN.

3. What is a DIN and Why it Matters

  • The Document Identification Number (DIN) is like a fingerprint for each notice.
  • Introduced for all communications after october 1, 2019, the DIN ensures you can verify authenticity.
  • If a notice does not have a DIN, it is invalid and legally treated as if it was never issued.

4. Step-by-Step Guide to Verify Your Notice

You can easily check the authenticity of a notice using the Income Tax e-Filing portal.

Step 1: Visit the official portal: https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/

Step 2: Go to the Quick Links section and click on “Authenticate notice/order issued by ITD.”

Step 3: Enter your DIN and a mobile number.

  • Alternatively, authenticate using PAN, document type, assessment year, issue date, and mobile number.
Step 4: You’ll receive a one-time password (OTP) on your mobile—enter it to proceed.

Step 5: Results:

  • Genuine Notice: success message will appear.
  • Fake Notice: The system will say “No record found for the given Document Number.”

5. Key Takeaways

  • Always verify before responding to a tax notice.
  • Do not click on suspicious links in emails or SMS messages.
  • Check for DIN to ensure the notice is from the Income Tax Department.
  • Fake notices require no action and are legally invalid.

In short: Stay alert this ITR season. Using the official e-Filing portal and the DIN verification process helps you distinguish between genuine tax notices and scams, protecting your money and personal data.

 

 

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