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Professional Swedish clown accused of tax fraud

A 55-year-old professional clown from southern Sweden has been accused of committing serious tax crimes totaling around 700,000 kronor ($100,000).

Professional Swedish clown accused of tax fraud

While the man works as a clown during the day, officials with Sweden’s National Economic Crimes Bureau Day (Ekobrottsmyndigheten), are hoping to help tax authorities get the last laugh after finding that the man ‘displaced’ hundreds of thousands of kronor.

Amongst his alleged infringements, the clown is suspected of accounting violations, obstruction of tax control checks and tax evasion between 2005 to 2007.

According to prosecutor Thomas Elofsson, the professional clown also submitted false information on his income tax filings and completely neglected to keep any books.

“The charges pertain to his business activities within one particular company. That includes his assignments as a clown and other activities,” Elofsson told the Skånska Dagbladet newspaper.

The 55-year-old entertainer also refused to hire an attorney when he was first called to a hearing on his alleged infringements.

On Monday, the prosecution submitted a proposal to the Malmö District Court to have a public defence attorney assigned to the clown.

“We are only in the introductory stages, so it’s hard to say how the case will develop,” Elofsson explained.

The 55-year-old runs his own business with a stake in a handful of different companies.

He and another individual have also established a partnership to keep animals. That particular collaboration ended in the submission of several police reports of forgery and bankruptcy, among other allegations.

The debts racked up by the pair totaled around half a million kronor.

During the forthcoming trial, Elofsson expects that several other related crimes will be added to clown’s already hefty list of infringements.

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How to avoid falling victim to tax scams in Sweden

Sweden's tax agency, Skatteverket, warns of an increase in scams when it's time for Swedish tax-payers to declare their taxes.

How to avoid falling victim to tax scams in Sweden

Anyone who earned more than 22,208 kronor last year received their tax returns digitally last week, marking the start of tax season.

That also means an expected peak in tax-related scams, Skatteverket warns.

Most of the scams are so-called phishing scams, meaning attempts to steal the victims’ personal information. Fraudsters may for example email a person, pretending to represent Skatteverket, and ask them for, among other things, their banking details.

“We’re seeing these in all channels. They use fake emails, SMS, letters and in some cases even phone calls. It is particularly common in tax declaration times – just when we’re about to send out the tax returns, the e-service opens and it’s possible to declare – but above all when it’s time for tax rebates,” Jan Janowski, a Skatteverket expert, told Swedish news agency TT.

A scam email might for example state that you’re entitled to a tax rebate and that you should click a link to receive it. Don’t click any links, open any attachments or reply to the message. Skatteverket advises that you immediately delete the email or text message.

Another common scam is that you receive a text message claiming to be from Skatteverket, telling you that you owe them money and you need to log in to calculate the amount. The website you’re urged to log in via does not belong to Skatteverket. Don’t click the link.

The agency stresses that it never asks people for their banking details. The exception is that you may be asked for your bank account information if you log into Skatteverket’s website to declare your taxes, but that always first requires you to log into the site.

To receive your tax rebate, you need to inform Skatteverket of your bank account number. You do this not by clicking a link in an email or SMS, but by logging into their website using a digital ID, for example BankID, and submitting your details. Only do this on your own initiative. If someone calls you and asks you to log in with your BankID during the phone call, don’t do it. That’s another common scam.

Skatteverket will also never call you to ask for your bank account or credit card number.

It will be possible to declare your taxes from March 19th. You’ll receive any tax rebate you’re owed by mid-April or early June, depending on when you submit your tax return. These are the dates when fraudsters are likely to attempt the most scams.

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