Income Tax Notice: How to Check if It's Genuine Before You Respond

With the income tax return (ITR) filing season underway, taxpayers may receive notices or communications from the Income Tax Department. However, before responding to any notice or sharing personal or financial information, it is important to verify whether communication is genuine. 

To help taxpayers identify authentic communications and prevent fraud, the Income Tax Department has mandated that every notice, summons, information or official communication issued on or after October 1, 2019, carries a Document Identification Number (DIN). Taxpayers can verify these notices online through the Income Tax e-filing portal without logging into their accounts. 

Why Should You Verify an Income Tax Notice? 

Fraudsters often send fake income tax notices to create panic and trick taxpayers into making payments or sharing sensitive information such as OTPs, bank details, CVVs or ATM PINs. 

Verifying a notice helps taxpayers confirm that it has been officially issued by the Income Tax Department. Communications issued without a valid DIN are generally treated as invalid, subject to specified exceptions. Authentication also helps taxpayers respond to genuine notices within the prescribed timelines while avoiding financial scams. 

How to Verify an Income Tax Notice Online 

Taxpayers can verify the authenticity of an income tax notice through the Income Tax e-filing portal using either the Document Identification Number (DIN) or Permanent Account Number (PAN). 

1. Verify Using PAN 

To verify a notice using PAN, taxpayers need to provide: 

The portal then confirms whether the notice exists in the Income Tax Department's records. 

Read More: ITR Filing AY 2026-27: Which Bank Accounts Need to Be Disclosed in Your Income Tax Return? 

2. Verify Using DIN 

Alternatively, taxpayers can verify a communication using: 

If the DIN is valid, the portal confirms that the communication has been officially issued by the department. 

Important Points to Remember While Verifying an Income Tax Notice 

Conclusion 

Verifying an income tax notice before taking any action is an important step to protect yourself from fraudulent communications. By using the PAN or DIN verification facility available on the Income Tax e-filing portal, taxpayers can quickly confirm whether a notice is genuine and avoid falling victim to scams during the ITR filing season. 

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