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PRISON

Tax-evading Swedish pensioner ‘too old’ for jail

A 91-year-old Swedish woman who is "too old" to be sent to prison told Swedish Enforcement Authorities (Kronofogden) they could take her coffin once she passed away, claiming she had no other possessions to pay off her debts.

Tax-evading Swedish pensioner 'too old' for jail

“The house isn’t in my name, there is nothing they can take,” the woman told the Aftonbladet newspaper.

The paper reported that Ingrid had been charged with tax fraud on five separate occasions and was proven guilty each time, something that normally leads to a prison sentence. Due to her advanced age, however, she got away with probation and a hefty fine.

Ingrid claimed there was nothing the Enforcement Authority could take, since she was not the official owner of her home, but instead had another proposal for the authorities.

“They can have my coffin when I’m gone,” she said.

The woman started her criminal career in the sixties and since then avoided paying millions of kronor (1 million kronor = $152,100) in taxes to the Swedish state, leaving a number of bankrupted companies behind. She claimed her criminal activities were unintentional.

“I have worked like a dog my entire life and never purposely tricked any person or the state,” she said.

Swedish criminals over 65 years of age are handled with extra care when it comes to punishments. However, the crime rate among this particular group rose by 67 percent between 2002 and 2011.

A few weeks ago, Lillemor Östlin, 75, was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for an aggravated drug offence. Statistically, she was one of the few elderly criminals who actually got sent to prison for committing a crime, Aftonbladet reported.

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MONEY

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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