Income Tax 2024: scam uses fake application – 03/19/2024 – Tech

Four days after the deadline for submitting the Income Tax declaration, the Federal Revenue Service has already announced a scam that is being used by cyber criminals to steal taxpayer data.

This Monday (18), the institution warned of emails and messages being disseminated by scammers to install an application that would allow data to be sent to the government.

However, the address is false and leads the user to install malware (malicious software), designed to damage systems, steal data and even slow down the computer or cell phone.

The scammers use the same application stores used by the IRS (PlayStore and App Store) and with logos similar to the institution’s. However, the user must be aware of the application developer before downloading the program.

The developer of the Meu Taxo de Renda app and the Revenue app is called Serviços e Informação do Brasil, which is responsible for the federal government’s platforms.

The official applications can be downloaded from this link, on the PlayStore (for Android), and on this link, on the App Store (for iOS). You must also have a gold or silver account on the gov.br portal to fill out the declaration using the application. Click here to learn how to create the account and reach the required level.

The online declaration can be made through the e-CAC portal (Virtual Service Center), clicking on this link (

“The CTIR Gov emphasizes that all information, guidelines and programs relating to IRPF (Individual Income Tax) are published exclusively at the official address of the Federal Revenue of Brazil, available at informed the Revenue this Monday (18).

The tax authorities also state that they never send emails, notices via messaging apps (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) and cell phones (SMS).

“We are never asked for any information such as CPF, password, bank account. Official communications from the Federal Revenue instruct the taxpayer to access the institution’s official page, authenticate themselves and check their pending issues.”

According to the agency, communication is normally made by letter and, therefore, it asks the taxpayer to update the address.

In addition to the fake application, other tactics used by scammers are emails or messages with the titles “urgent” or “regularize your situation now” to awaken the need for urgent correction.

The IRS logo or other images of government bodies are used to try to give greater veracity and lead the person to follow the instructions given, which is usually to click on a link or install a program.

The use of SMS with the same tricks is also manipulated by scammers, as well as fake websites that can be easily found through search engines like Google.

“They use emotional triggers such as urgency, scarcity and fear. The message asks you to correct something urgent, says that you need to correct a flaw or hits the organ that hurts the most in Brazilians: the pocket”, says Paulo Trindade, intelligence manager for cyber threat from ISH Tecnologia.

The My Income Tax application was released last Friday (15) by the Federal Revenue Service and was used by 11.2% of taxpayers who have already submitted their declaration. The online option was made by 16.2% of people. As of 6:30 pm this Monday, more than 3 million statements had already been delivered.

See step by step how to declare using your cell phone or tablet

• To access the My Income Tax app, the taxpayer needs to download the device from the PlayStore (for Android) and App Store (for iOS). The developer is Serviços e Informação do Brasil. You must also have a gold or silver account on the gov.br portal to fill out the declaration using the application.
• If you already have the application installed, you need to update it
• After that, go to “Enter with gov.br” and fill in your CPF and click continue. Then, enter your gov.br account login and password
• Once logged in, in the item “IRPF Declarations” click on “IRPF 2024”
• Go to “Fill out declaration”
• The program asks if you want to use the pre-filled declaration (click on start pre-filled) or make the declaration from scratch (click on start blank)
• Once you have made your choice, fill in the declaration details and send it to the IRS

See step by step how to declare on the e-CAC portal

• Go to the Federal Revenue portal at this link (https://mir.receita.fazenda.gov.br/portalmir/pagina-inicial)
• You must also have a gold or silver account on the gov.br portal
• Go to “Enter with gov.br” and fill in your CPF and click continue. Then, enter your gov.br account login and password
• Once logged in, in the “IRPF Services” item, click on “Make declaration” and then go to “2024”
• The program asks if you want to use the pre-filled declaration (click on start pre-filled) or make the declaration from scratch (click on start blank)
• Once you have made your choice, fill in the declaration details and send it to the IRS

See step by step to install PGD on your computer

• Go to the Revenue website (https://www.gov.br/receitafederal/pt-br/centrais-de-conteudo/download/pgd/dirpf)
• On the right side of the page, go to the item “IRPF Program 2024 Calendar Year 2023”. If your operating system is Windows, click the “Download program” button. The installation will be done automatically.
• If your operating system is MacOS, Linux, Win32 or multiplatform, click on your option in the “For other operating systems” item. Installation is also automatic.
• If there is a problem with the installation, the IRS has provided information with the main questions
• After installation, the program will open a presentation screen. Click next. It will ask if it can open a file with the program data, click next. Then, the program asks if you are interested in creating a shortcut key. If there is, click next.
• After that, the installation is complete and the program can now be opened.

With the program open, the taxpayer can choose whether to start the declaration from scratch or by importing data from the previous year. He can also opt for the pre-filled declaration, if he has a gold or silver account on the gov.br portal. This requirement is one of the Revenue changes for this year. In 2023, it was possible to access pre-populated data with the bronze account as well.

The submission deadline starts on March 15th and runs until May 31st. After this period, taxpayers who are required to send their data to the tax authorities will have to pay a minimum fine of R$165.74, which can reach 20% of the tax due for the year. Revenue expects to receive 43 million declarations. Last year, there were 41.1 million, the highest number in history.