Income Tax Department Warns Against Fake e-PAN Download Emails, Urges Public to Stay Alert

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : The Income Tax Department has issued a strong public advisory warning citizens against fake and fraudulent emails that falsely claim to offer e-PAN card downloads. The alert, released through a fact-check conducted with the assistance of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), aims to protect taxpayers from phishing attempts that seek to steal sensitive personal and financial information.

In its official statement, the department cautioned citizens to “Beware of fake emails asking to download e-PAN cards,” after several deceptive messages were found circulating online. PIB also shared a screenshot of one such phishing email that misleadingly offers a “step-by-step guide” for downloading an e-PAN card, creating the impression of an official government communication.

Clarifying its position, the Income Tax Department emphasized that it never asks for detailed personal or financial information through email, SMS, or phone calls. The department categorically stated that it does not send requests seeking PIN numbers, passwords, credit card details, or bank account credentials under any circumstances.

“Do not respond to any emails, links, calls or SMS that ask you to share financial and sensitive information,” the department said. It added that clicking on suspicious links or responding to such messages could lead to serious financial loss and identity theft.

The advisory further warned that cybercriminals often disguise malicious links to make them appear legitimate. Users were cautioned not to cut and paste links from suspicious emails into their browsers, as the visible web address may look genuine while redirecting victims to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal data.

The department also highlighted the risks associated with opening unknown attachments. “Attachments in suspicious emails may contain malicious code that can infect your computer, compromise data, or monitor online activities without your knowledge,” the advisory stated. To reduce such risks, citizens were advised to use updated antivirus software, anti-spyware tools, and firewalls on their devices at all times.

In addition to preventive measures, the Income Tax Department has encouraged citizens to actively report phishing attempts. If a phishing email does not relate to the Income Tax Department, people are advised to forward it to incident@cert-in.org.in, the official address of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).

If an email or website is suspected to be falsely impersonating the Income Tax Department, taxpayers should forward the email or the suspicious website URL to webmanager@incometax.gov.in, with a copy also sent to incident@cert-in.org.in.

The advisory further explained that users may forward the suspected message in its original form or share the complete internet header of the email, which contains technical tracking details that help authorities identify the source of the fraud. Once the information is shared with officials, citizens are advised to immediately delete the message from their inbox.

With cybercrime and digital fraud on the rise, the government continues to underline the importance of digital awareness and personal vigilance. The department reiterated that any official communication related to income tax services will only be routed through verified government portals or authorized channels, and citizens should always cross-check before taking action on any such messages.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)