FBR warns public not to send bank details to emails received from any email address

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday advised taxpayers and the general public not to send their bank account details and password to emails received from any email address that is apparently from FBR.

According to a press release, it was reported that some fraudulent people were using a fake webpage of FBR created for nefarious purposes. Taxpayers received an email from fake email addresses, for example, [email protected] which appear to be originating from FBR but in fact are not. The people are told to collect their tax refund by clicking the link to a fake website of FBR with links to banks. FBR’s official website is http://www.fbr.gov.pk but the click leads to web address http://www.springtowinter.gr/fbr.gov.pk/fbr.gov.refundportal.htm. Once there, the fake page of their bank opens asking for their account number and password. If the users provide the information, their identity thus gets stolen and their accounts then can be hacked and they can be deprived of their money.

This trick, called Phishing, is used by identity thieves around the world who misuse the online financial systems and deprive unsuspecting people of their money. Global phishing deprives people of around a billion USD annually.

Taxpayers and general public are advised not to send their bank account details and password to emails received from any email address that is apparently from FBR. Any link to any bank is not provided on FBR’s website and FBR would never ask for bank details and passwords on its home page. Banks always advise their customers against disclosing their password even to bank officials or bank’s genuine websites.