Taxpayers advised to amend fraudulent returns
The Income Tax Department just busted a massive fake refund racket in Tamil Nadu, raiding 18 spots (including Coimbatore) on Monday.
The scheme involved tax agents filing false income tax returns with exaggerated deductions, leading to bogus refund claims worth about ₹100 crore.
How scammers operated and nationwide crackdown on such frauds
Scammers used fake email IDs and private WhatsApp/Telegram groups to rope in thousands of taxpayers—including government and defense employees—by promising big refunds through made-up deductions like political donations, tuition fees, medical expenses, and rent.
This crackdown is part of a nationwide push using AI tools to catch such frauds.
The IT Department is still investigating the masterminds and has asked anyone who filed incorrect returns to come clean voluntarily to avoid bigger trouble.