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Tax officials warn of renewed online scams

Fraudulent messages purportedly from Finland's Tax Administration are circulating again, aimed at stealing personal information.

Tax office door with logo.
The taxman says that scammers are using phone calls, emails and text messages. Image: Axel Nurmio / Yle
  • Yle News

Finland's Tax Administration has once again warned the public to be wary of fraudulent messages being circulated in its name.

In addition to emails and text messages, scammers posing as tax officials have also phoned members of the public.

The contacts are frequently about a tax refund that individuals are supposedly eligible to receive, or a demand regarding unpaid taxes.

The scam messages may appear to come from a credible source. Their purpose is to get the recipient to click on links in the message, or to hand over personal data, such as credit card information.

Item continues after the photo.

Example of a scam text.
An example of a scam text messages sent in the name of the Tax Administration directing the recipient to a phishing site. Image: Yle

The Tax Administration advises people who receive a scam message, to delete it immediately. The links in the message should not be opened.

However, if someone has made the mistake of handing over, for example, credit card or bank ID information, they should immediately contact their bank and, if necessary, close the card or IDs.

The Tax Administration further reminded the public that its e-services displaying tax information to taxpayers or asking taxpayers to report such information are always provided on secure connections. Individual taxpayers can identify themselves to tax officials with their online banking codes, electronic ID cards or mobile certificates and only via https://tunnistautuminen.suomi.fi/.

Messages sent by the Tax Administration never contain clickable links. Officials advise users to log into the Tax Administration's MyTax service only via the main website.

You can read more about these scams on the website of the Finnish Tax Administration.

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