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Warning: Don’t get tricked by this tax refund email scam in Sweden

Billions of kronor will be handed back to tax payers in Sweden this week. But beware of scams.

Published: 4 June 2019 08:23 CEST

Warning: Don't get tricked by this tax refund email scam in Sweden

Scammers could be posing as Sweden's tax agency Skatteverket. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

The tax agency Skatteverket will start sending refunds to those who are still owed money back on their taxes today, which means around 2.7 million people will get to split 23 billion kronor ($2.44 billion).

But the authority warned people to watch out for fraudsters operating during this period:

“Right now there may be various fake emails and text messages being sent around. They are particularly frequent during certain periods, for example when it is time to declare your taxes.”

If you receive an email or a text message which looks like it has been sent out by Skatteverket, but you suspect it is a scam, do not to click any links, open any attachments, or respond to the message.

“Our recommendation is that you delete the email or text message. Skatteverket will never ask for your account details via email or text message,” the tax agency said in a statement.

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Those who are still owed their tax rebate are due to get their money back between June 4th and 7th.

Vocabulary

tax – skatt

fraudster – bedragare

money – pengar

tax rebate – skatteåterbäring

scam email – bluffmejl

We're aiming to help our readers improve their Swedish by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find it useful? Do you have any suggestions? Let us know.

Member comments

Anonymous - 6 June 2019 at 10:34 CEST

There’s also a scam going around that there’s a packet for you and you have to pay a fee of 49:- until the packet is released. It’s sent out by SMS…

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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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