ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has warned against a phishing scam currently sweeping the nation’s email inboxes, trying to extort money from unassuming persons in the name of the FBR.
According to media reports, the scam is being used to steal large amounts of money from the bank accounts of victims that follow the instructions in the emails sent by a gang of hackers, adding that millions of people have received such emails asking for bank and other personal details so that their refunds can be deposited by the FBR.
The way the scam works is that the hackers send out large, mass emails or messages to lists of numbers or email addresses. The numbers and addresses are ones that have already been leaked and are up for sale.
The emails and messages that the hackers send usually contain sets of instructions that end up revealing critical information if a person falls for the trick and responds. The hackers then use this information to take large sums of money from the victim’s bank account.
They usually direct recipients to enter personal information on a fake website which matches the look and feel of the legitimate site.
The scammers hope that by casting a wide net, they can catch at least a few ‘fish’. FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi flatly termed the emails fake. He warned that the tax collection agency does not send emails for refunds.
