Ever received a notification from the Income Tax Department and wondered if it was legitimate? You are not alone. Scammers sometimes attempt to resemble official correspondence in order to steal personal information or money. Fear not, taxpayers! The Income Tax Department provides an easy-to-use online tool that allows you to quickly check the legitimacy of any notification or order you receive.

The Income Tax Department's online application allows you to verify every notification or order you receive. This free service is available to everyone, regardless of whether they have registered with the e-filing portal.

Here's how you utilize it:  

1. Go to https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/ and choose "Authenticate Notice/Order Issued by ITD" from the "Quick Links" section. 

2. Select one of two verification techniques. 

3. Using PAN: Enter your PAN, document type (notice, order, etc.), assessment year, date of issuance, and cellphone number to receive a one-time password. 

4. Using DIN: For OTP verification, enter the Document Identification Number (DIN) from the notification together with your cellphone number. 

5. Enter the obtained OTP and then click "Continue." 

6. The tool will quickly check that the notification is legitimate. If not, you may safely discard it. 

Here is an overview of the service and how to use it.

What is the Notice Authentication Tool?

This online tool allows you to check the legitimacy of any communication you get from the Income Tax Department, such as notices, orders, summons, letters, and so on. This ensures that the communication is real and not a phishing effort.

Who may use the tool?

This tool is available to all users, regardless of whether they are registered on the Income Tax e-filing system. It is a pre-login service that is open to everyone.

How to authenticate a notification?

There are two methods for verifying a notice:

1. Using PAN, Document Type, Date Issued, and Mobile Number: 

• Visit the Income Tax e-filing portal at https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/. 

On the homepage, under the "Quick Links" section, click "Authenticate Notice/Order Issued by ITD". 

• Enter your Permanent Account Number (PAN). 

• Choose the kind of document (notice, order, etc.). 

• Select the assessment year for which the notification was sent. 

• Enter the date when the notification was issued. 

• Enter your cellphone number (a one-time password will be issued to this number). 

• Enter the obtained OTP (One-Time Password) and click "Continue." 

• If the information matches a legitimate notification from the Income Tax Department, you will get a confirmation message. If not, it will show that the notice is invalid. 

2. Using the DIN and mobile number: 

• Follow the steps 1 and 2 outlined above. 

• Instead of PAN information, insert the Document Identification Number (DIN) shown on the notification. 

• Please provide your cellphone number for OTP verification. 

Benefits of Using the Tool:

Peace of mind: Before taking any action, ensure that the notification is authentic.

Prevents Scams: Helps you avoid falling prey to phishing scams that imitate official correspondence.

Convenience: An easy-to-use internet tool available to anybody.

Remember:

1. The technology checks the validity of the transmission, not the content. 

2. If you have any queries about the notification itself, you should see a tax specialist. 

3. Another technique to verify the legitimacy of a notification sent by the tax department is to cross-check the email address from which it was received. The tax agency sends all correspondence using its official ID, which ends in incometax.gov.in, such as intimations@cpc.incometax.gov.in.