Chittoor police caution against fake ‘Pay Tax’ WhatsApp messages

The Chittoor police have cautioned the public about cyber fraudsters sending deceptive WhatsApp messages under the guise of the Income Tax Department and other government agencies. Superintendent of Police Tushar Dudi informed that criminals have been sending messages with subject lines like "Pay Tax", "Income Tax Pending", "Tax Refund", "E-Verification", and "Penalty Notice" to coerce recipients into clicking on malicious links or downloading APK files.

These files have the potential to grant cybercriminals access to sensitive information, including SMS messages, contact lists, banking details, one-time passwords (OTPs), and UPI credentials. Additionally, fraudsters could exploit accessibility, screen-sharing, and remote-access permissions to take control of mobile devices. Dudi urged the public not to click on unknown links or install APK files received via WhatsApp or SMS.

Taxpayers were advised to complete all tax-related transactions only through official government portals or authorized applications. In case of falling victim to cyber fraud, individuals should promptly contact the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or lodge a complaint via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at http://www.cybercrime.gov.in.