QuickCheck: Has LHDN been sending refund verification links to taxpayers?

IN today’s digital landscape, the convenience of online communication comes with the risk of scams.

Recently, some taxpayers have reported receiving messages claiming to be from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), asking them to click on a link to “verify their refund statuses”.

Is it true that LHDN really is sending out these links to taxpayers?

Verdict:

FALSE

The Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) has reiterated that it has never sent links to taxpayers concerning refund statuses through the MyTax portal.

In a statement on Monday (Nov 4), the tax administration agency clarified that no notifications from this portal can be sent without proper authorisation, warning that it will take strict action against any individuals or entities involved, in accordance with relevant legal provisions.

LHDN urged the public not to share these messages, adding that disseminating fake news could result in prosecution under Section 505 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA).

The LHDN emphasised its serious approach to this issue, prioritising it as a crucial step to enhance taxpayer confidence and trust in the services offered by the agency in tax administration.

The agency added that it was committed to continuously improving its service quality and proactively addressing this matter.

In addition, LHDN reminded the public to be vigilant regarding any suspicious emails, links or messages received via WhatsApp.

They urged taxpayers to verify any information through official LHDN channels: www.hasil.gov.my; https://mytax.hasil.gov.my; by contacting the hotline at 03-8911 1000; or by visiting the nearest LHDN office.

A similar scam was also uncovered recently that was targetting Employee Provident Fund (EPF) contributors.

EPF contributors received letters claiming that an attempt to withdraw RM100,000 from their accounts had been stopped.

Victims were then asked to pay RM500 in “processing fees” so that EPF could return the money to their accounts.

Both scams involve the impersonation of trusted financial institutions to extract personal details under the guise of official communication.