In such letters, they ask for an additional check or provide additional information. The department reminds that the tax authorities do not send such messages. Also, the service employees do not call offering to pay taxes online.
The Tax Service warns about a new scam scheme. And it seems to be targeted more towards entrepreneurs. Unknown individuals on behalf of the FNS send out email messages about identifying suspicious transactions and taxpayer activity.
They are asked to undergo additional checks and provide information requested by the service. For example, cash documents, invoices, invoices, statements of acceptance-transfer, advance reports, and shipping documents.
To go through this procedure, it is suggested to contact the assigned inspector. Otherwise, the taxpayer’s accounts will be frozen until the circumstances are clarified. A PDF scan of the specified letter contains stamps and details, and the inspector’s contacts are attached in the body of the email.
Commenting, CEO of the ‘R-Techno’ intelligence technology agency, Roman Romachev:
— In recent years, there have been many reports in all media about scammers. Nevertheless, the number of victims is increasing. According to statistics, in just 11 months of 2023, the number of crimes increased by 31%. Criminals are starting to use more and more elaborate schemes, their main goal is to evoke emotions in you. They send you some notification, some message, or call you saying that you have some problems, that you need to pay something, otherwise you will be fined. The example with the tax office clearly shows that scammers try to evoke fear. They say you have some tax underpayments, and you need to contact your inspector. They immediately give you a solution, the phone number of this inspector, expecting your call. If your emotions are triggered, it means that criminals want to shut down your logical thinking because at the moment of an emotional outburst, unfortunately, our minds do not work, that’s how we are wired, so the manipulator controls us by pulling the right strings. It’s better to visit the official website of your regional tax office and try to call there to clarify the information directly with your inspector. But under no circumstances should you call the contacts that scammers provide to you.
— It’s interesting that they seem to specifically send notifications to entrepreneurs, asking for documents like invoices, cash receipt, bills, etc.
— Entrepreneurs are also a target audience for criminals. They have more money than some granny, so, of course, the manipulation legend is similar, but still different. Since entrepreneurs deal with business, they have additional reporting, and precisely by requesting this reporting, criminals try to gain their trust. With this special terminology that criminals use, they try to mimic a tax inspector.
In the Russian Tax Office, it is emphasized that the department does not send out such messages and recommend not to open suspicious emails or click on links. In addition, the tax service does not make phone calls offering to pay taxes online.