WhatsApp call from Iras? It could be from a scammer, warns tax authority

SINGAPORE - The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) on Monday (June 13) warned of calls on WhatsApp by scammers pretending to be from the tax authority.

This is the third scam advisory that Iras has issued in the last seven days.

The calls over WhatsApp are from overseas numbers with a "+" sign, and with the official Iras logo as the profile picture.

The tax authority said it does not make calls through messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber.

"Members of the public are advised to ignore such calls and not to provide any personal or bank account details, make any payments to a third party's bank account or follow any instructions by the caller," it added.

The public should also block these accounts to signal to messaging apps, like WhatsApp, to take down these fraudulent accounts, Iras said.

It added that the Check First website can be used to verify if a call is legitimate.

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Members of the public can key in phone numbers into the website to see if the number is affiliated with Iras.

If they are not, then the call is likely to be a scam call.

If doubt persists, the public can still reach out to Iras via the hotline 1800-356 8300 or on its website.

Iras had on Wednesday warned of fraudulent e-mails purportedly from the tax authority amid the start of the corporate tax filing season, which ends this year on Nov 30.

The phishing e-mails spoof the @iras.gov.sg domain and instruct recipients to check on the status of their corporate income tax returns or to file their tax returns by clicking on an attached file.

The tax authority said it does not solicit taxpayers' personal details or any confidential information via e-mail or loose web links.

Iras had earlier also warned of a scam e-mail requesting that recipients click on a fraudulent link to make payment due to discrepancies in their tax returns.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.