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The Ministry of Finance is warning of fraudulent SMS and WhatsApp messages being sent in the name of the tax authorities. This is part of a new wave of “smishing” attacks. The BMF advises: Do not click on any links, and do not enter any data.
The Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) is warning of a new wave of fraudulent messages currently being spread via SMS and WhatsApp on behalf of Austrian tax authorities. Criminals are posing as FinanzOnline or other official bodies and attempting to obtain sensitive data using fake messages. The security authorities describe this as a sophisticated form of “ ”smishing”—phishing via short message services.
Fake messages with alleged ID expiration warnings
According to the BMF, the perpetrators claim in the fake messages that the FinanzOnline ID is expiring and needs to be renewed. The links contained in the messages lead to deceptively genuine-looking but fake websites, which then ask for personal data such as passwords, credit card details, or bank account information.
The BMF emphasizes that it never requests sensitive data via SMS, WhatsApp, or Messenger. Official communications are sent exclusively by mail or via the Databox in the FinanzOnline system.
In addition to ID expiration warnings, internet scammers also use other scenarios, including:
- Alleged tax refunds or reimbursements
- Outstanding claims or impending seizures
- Warnings about suspicious login attempts
- Requests to update data or enter crypto assets
The Ministry of Finance is calling for increased vigilance and makes the following recommendations:
- Do not click on links or files in the message
- Do not enter any personal data – especially passwords or account details
- Delete the message immediately
- If in doubt, contact the BMF or the police
Professional deception with real logos and senders
The fraudsters are becoming increasingly professional: the messages use official logos, real sender names, or imitate the writing style of authorities. They pretend to be the BMF, the Austrian tax office, the customs office, or FinanzOnline directly.
The BMF issues an urgent warning: if you have any doubts about a message, you should obtain information directly through official channels and under no circumstances respond.
- source: vienna.at/picture: pixabay.com
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