Property tax or municipal notice link
A message about pending property tax or a municipal penalty asks you to pay through a link.
Community reports: 0
How it works
- An SMS says your property tax is overdue or a municipal penalty has been added, and warns that your water supply will be cut or the property sealed.
- The link opens a page dressed up as the municipal corporation's site and asks for your property number, card details, OTP or a UPI payment.
- The money goes to the scammer, and the card details or OTP you entered are used for more payments.
What it looks like
Example messages. Numbers and links are masked.
Dear Citizen, your property tax of Rs 6,480 is pending. Penalty will be added and water supply disconnected tonight. Pay now: municipal-tax-dues[.]in
FINAL NOTICE: Penalty of Rs 2,150 on your property ID. Clear dues within 24 hours to avoid sealing. propertytax-clear[.]in
Red flags
- A pay-now link sent by SMS
- Threat of sealing or disconnection today
- Sent from an ordinary mobile number
- An amount that does not match your bill
- OTP or card PIN asked on the page
The one question to ask
Does the same amount show as due when you open your municipal corporation's website yourself, not through the link?
Already paid or shared details?
If you paid or typed in card details, call your bank on the number printed on your card to block the card, then call 1930 and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in with the SMS and the link. Check your tax dues only on the municipal website you find yourself, or at the ward office.
1930 · cybercrime.gov.in
Also seen as
- Water bill disconnection link
- Fake house tax or trade licence renewal SMS