Hyderabad, July 30 -- The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has warned taxpayers about fake Income Tax refund scams during the ongoing income tax filing season.

In an advisory, the bureau said cyber fraudsters are impersonating Income Tax Department officials to steal money, banking credentials, and other sensitive personal information. Scammers are sending fraudulent SMS messages and emails, claiming that an Income Tax refund has been approved.

These messages often contain a "Claim Now" button or a malicious link that redirects users to fake websites that collect confidential information such as bank account details, PAN, Aadhaar, passwords, and One-Time Passwords (OTPs).

Officials from the Income Tax Department never ask taxpay...