Karachi, October 9, 2025 – The President of the Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA), Ali A. Rahim, has warned taxpayers to remain vigilant against unauthorized intermediaries offering online income tax return filing services.
He emphasized that sharing sensitive tax information with unregistered or unverified individuals poses serious cybersecurity and legal risks.
With the rapid rise of online platforms and self-proclaimed “tax experts” on social media, many people are unknowingly providing personal and corporate financial data to unauthorized intermediaries. Rahim explained that such information — including CNICs, bank details, and income data — can be sold, leaked, or misused for fraudulent activities, identity theft, or money laundering.
He stressed that taxpayers must only trust registered e-intermediaries, as defined in the Income Tax Rules, 2002. According to the rules, an authentic e-intermediary must be:
1. A Chartered Accountant registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan;
2. A Cost and Management Accountant registered with ICMAP;
3. A Legal Practitioner entitled to practice in any Pakistani court;
4. A Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA-UK); or
5. A Registered Income Tax Practitioner affiliated with an officially recognized tax bar.
Rahim urged citizens to verify credentials before sharing any tax documents or credentials online.
Potential repercussions of sharing confidential information with unauthorized persons include:
• Financial fraud or theft, where data is used to access bank accounts.
• Identity misuse, resulting in fake tax filings or criminal impersonation.
• Legal consequences, if your data is linked to false returns or illicit financial activity.
Rahim concluded, “Protect your data. Only deal with trusted, registered tax professionals — your information is as valuable as your income.”