Quick Heal warns against fake income tax refund messages

Pune-based security solutions provider Quick Heal Technologies has warned consumers against fake income tax refund text messages. 

Cybercriminals send text messages to mobile users, prompting them to claim refunds on their tax payments by verifying their bank account details. The listed bank account number is usually wrong and users are prompted to click on a malicious link to correct their account details, said a statement issued by Quick Heal Technologies. 

The malicious link in the text message opens a website that looks similar to the income tax department portal. Users are prompted to enter log-in details and their bank account number. 

If the scammers succeed in obtaining the bank account and contact details, they call the victims for more details. The criminals even pose as income tax department officials and ask the users to pay a fine, the statement said. 

With access to log-in details and financial credentials, cybercriminals authorise the transfer of income tax refunds from the victim’s account and change crucial details such as phone number and email ID, both of which can be used for validating transactions. 

The security solutions provider warned people against sharing details such as bank account number and one-time passwords in response to emails or phone calls from persons posing as tax officials. 

Quick Heal Technologies, formerly known as CAT Computer Services, was founded in 1993 by University of Pune alumnus Sanjay Katkar and Children’s Academy alumnus Kailash Katkar. The company started out as a computer service centre, eventually foraying into security solutions in the information technology space. It has expanded services to Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Kenya.

Earlier this year, Quick Heal Technologies launched its next-generation suite of security solutions for laptops and desktops including the updated versions of its software offerings like Quick Heal Total Security and Quick Heal Antivirus Pro. 

A study commissioned by Quick Heal Technologies found that Indian enterprises faced 26 million cybersecurity threats between July and September 2018. 

In February, Quick Heal Technologies announced it had doubled net profit for the third quarter of the previous fiscal year.