Warning of tax fraud: How to recognize fake notices!

Warning of tax fraud: How to recognize fake notices!

Lately, the German authorities have been increasingly warned against attempts to fraud with fake tax notices. Recipients of such letters are asked to reject taxes immediately, but this turns out to be a nasty stitch. These fraud cases affect several federal states, including Saxony, Lower Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate, and the respective tax offices are alerted.

A fraud of this kind typically runs like this: The perpetrators send fake tax notices by post and request payment transfer. At first glance, these letters may look real, but are fake. "Please be vigilant if you do not expect a tax assessment and receive such a letter," warns the State Office in Hanover.

identification of counterfeits

There are some indications that can be used to recognize that it is a fraud. A striking peculiarity is the name "Financial Authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany" that does not exist. In addition, information such as the address, website or contact details is often incorrect. Most of the time there are no legal information in the fake. A request for payment to an account of a foreign bank should also make a listening, as the tax authority in Rhineland-Palatinate explains. Those affected should therefore compare the information of their notices with previous tax notices.

The State Criminal Police Office also indicates that recipients should always have contactable information about their tax office in order to verify the origin of the letter. In this way, the risk of falling for these frauds can be reduced.

If you receive such a letter, you should never transfer the money without checking. The recommendation is to ask directly to the responsible tax office. If there are doubts, alternatives such as the phone book or the Internet can help with the procurement of correct contact details. If the decision is exposed as a falsification, it is also advisable to immediately file a complaint with the police.

after a fraud: chances of reimbursement

Unfortunately, the victims who have already fallen on such fraudsters have little hope of getting their money back. The consumer advice centers emphasize that transfers cannot be reversed as soon as the order has been edited by the bank. In such cases, a quick call to the bank may be the only rescue, but there is no guarantee here either.

In addition to the fake tax notices, fraudsters also use other methods to achieve their goals. These include "shock calls" or fraudulent emails and SMS. In Schleswig-Holstein, the authorities warn in particular of emails that are allegedly come from Elster and promise the repayments. However, these messages are also counterfeits and aim to obtain personal data.

Another dangerous procedure are manipulated QR codes in the emails or letters. Through such codes, those affected reach fraudulent websites that often look deceptively real. The police in Osnabrück urgently warns against entering personal information such as passwords or bank details on these pages.

For a detailed view of the various fraud stitches and tips for avoiding such incidents, more information is on www.pz-news.de