An email supposedly by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is doing the rounds via Whatsapp and social media, asking people to download an attachment or go to a link to check their tax refunds. It may contain a computer virus, said the IRAS via a Facebook post on Tuesday, September 12.
The email is targeting random members of the public and it is said to be a scam to swindle money from them. In its official website, the IRAS has issued warnings against emails, phone calls, letters, and text messages asking for personal information. These communications ask people to send their bank account details for tax refunds, pay money for some other official procedure, or transfer a token amount before gaining possession of a deceased relative's estate. Sometimes they may even ask for passwords and related personal information.
IRAS has said that the scammers have adopted email addresses mimicking IRAS's, which end with @iras.gov.sg. Cautioning people against such fraudulent schemes, IRAS has assured that it never asks for personal information via email. Hence, any such communication should be treated as a scam.
Additionally, the IRAS has urged the recipients of any such mails and messages to immediately contact the authorities, without replying to it.
This warning from an official source serves as an eye-opener for people around the world in an age where such catfishing and fraudulent practices have become very common.
