There has been an error in calculating your tax and a refund is to be... Got this mail? Here's what to do

Have you filed your Income Tax return (ITR) for AY 2025-26 (FY 2024-25) and received an email saying there has been a calculation error in your tax and a refund is to be issued? Don't click on such an email. It is fake.

The Income Tax Department on Thursday (August 7, 2025) warned taxpayers against phishing emails targeting individuals in the name of income tax refunds.

"If you’ve filed your Income Tax Return & received an email stating that there has been an error in calculating your tax and a refund has to be issued — DO NOT click any links. It’s a phishing scam!," the Income Tax Department said in a post on X.

Before responding to any email, taxpayers should properly check the sender's address.

Further, the Income Tax department never asks for confidential information like passwords, OTPs, etc over phone calls and emails.

Even the response to any Income Tax notice is required to be given through the official Income Tax e-filing portal.

"Beware of phishing scams! The Income Tax Department never asks for confidential information like passwords, OTPs, or bank details over phone, email, or SMS," the Tax Department said.

What should you do?

Taxpayers should stay alert to stay safe and follow the below steps:

• Do not click on suspicious links.
• Verify emails only from official domains (@incometax.gov.in)
• Report phishing at webmanager@incometax.gov.in.

The last date to file ITR for AY 2025-26 is September 15, 2025, for non-audit cases. In the run-up to the ITR filing due date, the Income Tax department has regularly warned taxpayers against fraudsters and phishing attacks.

As of August 7, 2025, over 2.6 crore taxpayers have filed their returns, while more than 2.6 crore returns have been verified. The tax department has already processed over 1.13 crore verified returns.