The Indian government has issued a warning to taxpayers regarding a phishing campaign that falsely claims to offer upgraded “PAN 2.0” cards. The fraudulent emails suggest that a new version of the Permanent Account Number (PAN) card has been launched with QR code support, prompting recipients to download their “e-PAN” through a link.
These emails, which appear to come from senders like “info@smt.plusoasis.com”, use subject lines related to “PAN 2.0 Cards” and urge users to click on suspicious links. The PIB Fact Check has deemed these emails as “fake” and part of a cybercrime operation.
The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit has flagged the emails as fraudulent, warning the public not to respond or interact with such messages. In a post on social media, PIB said, “Do not respond to emails, calls & SMS asking you to share financial & sensitive information and report such phishing emails.”
The Income Tax Department has also clarified that it does not send unsolicited messages asking for personal data or financial credentials such as bank account details, passwords, or credit card information. The department does not provide PAN cards or e-PANs through email links.
The government has reiterated that all official e-PAN services are offered only through verified government portals and not through third-party links or emails.
How fake PAN scam works?
Victims receive fake emails claiming to offer a new “PAN 2.0” card with added features like QR codes. The message urges them to click a link to download their updated e-PAN, which leads to a phishing site mimicking an official government portal.
Why it’s dangerous?
These phishing sites can steal sensitive data such as PAN, Aadhaar, bank account details, or passwords. This information can then be misused for identity theft, financial fraud, or unauthorised access to personal accounts.
How to stay safe and report
Citizens are advised to exercise caution and verify the source of any communication claiming to be from a government body. Email addresses that don’t end with official government domains should raise immediate suspicion.
If such phishing messages are received, users should report them to:
• webmanager@incometax.gov.in
• incident@cert-in.org.in
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