LHDN scam alerts: What to do if you receive suspicious tax demands

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — Have you ever received any emails, phone calls or WhatsApp messages from someone who claims to be from the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN), and told to make payments for unpaid tax urgently?

This could be a phishing attempt as scammers will always try to pressure you, so the first thing you should do is don’t panic.

Here are some tips on how to avoid becoming a scam victim, based on LHDN’s official website:

1. Check directly with LHDN to verify if it is a scam or not:

•  If you are in Malaysia, call LHDN (03-8911 1000);
•  If you are overseas, call LHDN (603-8911 1000);
•  Use the Live Chat function;
•  Use the Customer Feedback Form;
•  Visit the nearest LHDN office.

2. Never reveal your personal details, your banking details, especially online banking passwords.

3. Don’t click on links in suspicious emails. The links may lead you to fake websites (that may look legitimate) to make you key in your bank details and your online banking password.

4. When someone you don’t know calls you and asks you to download an app, don’t do it.

5. If you receive a call from an unknown phone number, don’t call back that number.

6. Check LHDN’s website for the official phone numbers.

7. LHDN’s official email addresses end with @hasil.gov.my.

8. If you have tax arrears or outstanding tax, make sure you only pay them to LHDN using official LHDN channels:

• For Income Tax and Real Property Gains Tax, the payment should be to the Director General of Inland Revenue (or Ketua Pengarah Hasil Dalam Negeri in Malay) or Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (or Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri Malaysia in Malay).
• For Stamp Duty, the payment should be made to the Collector of Stamp Duties (or Pemungut Duti Setem in Malay).

This is important as scammers may make you transfer your money to bank accounts that do not belong to LHDN.

If you are unsure about anything, just contact LHDN.

Examples of how tax scams work

Scammers can use all sorts of tricks to pretend to be LHDN.

For example, Malay Mail was alerted by a reader of two tax scam emails received over the past seven days, with these scammers using fraudulent email addresses that tried to mimic LHDN’s official email address (enforcementhasil.gov.my@mg-hgf.com) and (lhdn_compliancehasil.gov.my@drhhfg.com). Do not write or respond to these scammers’ email addresses.

The two scam emails had also provided email addresses ending with @hasil.gov.my and also landline phone numbers of the purported LHDN officer sending the email.

But never call such phone numbers or write to such email addresses that are given to you.

Instead, go to LHDN or its official website to find the actual official phone numbers.

If you have been scammed

If you have already been scammed, contact your bank immediately, and also call the National Scam Response Centre’s 24-hour hotline 997.