The number of scam text messages sent in the name of the tax administration has increased significantly in the last couple of years.
Scam messages the senders are likely to take advantage of the starting tax filing period and try to get people to click on a link leading to a scam website, warns the Tax Administration.
The Tax Administration says in its announcement that the number of fraudulent text messages sent in the name of the agency has increased considerably in the last couple of years.
Fraudsters make use of current tax issues in their messages, so the Tax Administration considers it likely that there will be a lot of fraudulent messages related to tax declarations circulating during the spring.
Deputy Director of the Tax Administration Jaakko Nummijärven according to it is important that taxpayers go to the taxpayer's Omavero online service by entering the address of the service in the address line of the web browser, i.e. www.vero.fi/omavero.
“You should never click on a link sent by text message, and there are no such links in genuine messages sent by the Tax Administration,” says Nummijärvi in the Tax Administration's announcement.
The greater part scam messages are text messages, but according to the Tax Administration, they also come to taxpayers by email.
The Tax Administration says that there is no link in its genuine text message. In the future, genuine text messages sent by the tax administration will come from one of three senders: Vero, Skatt or Vero-Skatt.
The agency has registered these three text message sender IDs for its use, and telecom operators will use them during the winter.
A scam message can often be recognized by the fact that it appeals to urgency, which would make the person act quickly. The message may, for example, tell about an unexpected change related to tax refunds, the Tax Administration says.
In addition, according to the taxman, the scam message always includes a link, which the scammer tries to get the person to click and give the scammer bank or personal information.
The first ones Individuals' pre-filled tax returns will be sent to Omavero on February 23.
In this case, a pre-filled tax return will be sent to farmers, business owners and their spouses. For others, the pre-filled tax return will be sent to Omavero no later than March 28.
Correction 25.1.2024 at 11:55: Contrary to what was previously reported in the news, the Vero, Skatt or Vero-Skatt sender IDs are not yet in use, but the Tax Administration has just registered them.
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