The fake government: taxes, fines and refunds
“You are entitled to a refund of 312 €” or “You have an unpaid fine”. With the government's logo.
1How they do it
- You get an email or text message that seems to come from the tax office, the police or a local council.
- You must pay a fine or give your bank details for a refund.
- The link leads to a copy of the government site, sometimes with a fake login page.
- They steal your details or make you confirm a payment.
2A real example
“Tax Office: you are entitled to a refund of 312.40 EUR. Confirm your account within 48 hours.”
3How to spot it
- The government does not send text messages with payment links.
- Refunds never ask for your card details.
- A threat of a higher fine if you do not pay straight away.
4How to protect yourself
- Go to the official government site yourself, using an address you type in yourself.
- Call the service on a number you look up yourself.
- Report the message to the phishing reporting point in your country (see “Help by country”).
In Belgium
- You can only find your taxes on MyMinfin.
- Forward suspicious messages to suspicious@safeonweb.be.
How WolfKey helps
WolfKey always shows on your phone the real address of the site that is asking for something. A copy of a government site gets nothing.
Get WolfKeySuspicious number, email or website? Check it or report it.
Examples have been made unrecognisable. Names and numbers in the examples are made up.