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Check your wallet – this Swedish money is useless as of today

Sweden's banknote and coin changeover is nearly completed, and June 30th was the last day to use the remaining old notes and coins for payments.

Published: 1 July 2017 13:55 CEST
Check your wallet – this Swedish money is useless as of today
Old 5-kronor and 1-krona coins. Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT
Sweden's on-going banknote and coin changeover, which began in 2015, has entered its final phase. The last of the remaining old coins, as well as the old 100-kronor and 500-kronor, are invalid as of July 1st.
 
But far from all shops are equipped to deal with the change, and the Swedish Trade Federation (Svensk Handel) warns that not enough new coins are in circulation yet, reports Aftonbladet.
 
“I don't think the shops will have enough coins on Saturday and in the nearest future,” payments expert Bengt Nilervall at Svensk Handel told Aftonbladet.
 
Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, is aware of the risk.
 
“Our ambition was to give all parties as much information as possible so this would not happen. But now we will have to adjust to the situation,” Riksbank spokesperson Christina Wejshammar told Aftonbladet.
 
Old 500-kronor and 100-kronor notes
These old 500-kronor and 100-kronor are invalid as of July 1st. Photo: Claus Gertsen/Scanpix/TT
 
If you have bunch of old 1-, 2- and 5-kronor coins lying about, these can still be deposited in a bank until August 31st, 2017.
 
The old 100-kronor and 500-kronor notes are also invalid in shops as of July 1st, but have a later bank deposit deadline, on June 30th, 2018.
 
A map where you can find your nearest coin-deposit location is available at Myntkartan.se. 
 
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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.

Published: 12 March 2024 13:40 CET
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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