The Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority (AT) has issued a public warning to taxpayers about a wave of fraudulent emails impersonating official communications regarding the IRS (personal income tax) declaration. The alert comes in the middle of the filing campaign, a period in which the expectation of refunds is exploited by third parties to mislead taxpayers.
What is happening
In a notice published on its website, the Tax Authority states that several taxpayers are receiving emails supposedly sent by AT, asking them to click on the provided links. The Authority stresses that these messages are fake and should be ignored.
In one of the examples identified, recipients are informed that a change request to their IRS declaration was detected, and are invited to confirm or cancel that change through a link. The goal, according to AT, is to redirect users to malicious pages or trick them into making undue payments.
Other pretexts used in the scam
- Automatic IRS recalculation;
- Alleged verification of personal data on the Finance Portal account;
- Electronic invoice related to the recipient's tax registration;
- Notifications about pending refunds requiring immediate confirmation.
Simple rule: AT never asks for personal or banking data by email, nor requests payments through external links.
AT recommendations
Do not click any links contained in these emails and do not provide personal or banking data. If in doubt about your tax situation, access the Finance Portal directly by typing the official address in your browser, instead of following links received via message.
How to spot a fraudulent email
- Sender with an unusual domain (not ending in @at.gov.pt);
- Exaggerated urgency or threats of immediate fines;
- Spelling errors or poor translations;
- Requests to confirm IBAN, tax number, passwords or ID card;
- Links that do not point to the official Finance Portal domain.
What to do if you receive a suspicious message
- Do not click any link or open attachments;
- Delete the message from your inbox;
- Report the case to AT and, in serious cases, to the authorities;
- If you already clicked the link, change your passwords and notify your bank.
The accountant's role
During the IRS season, your certified accountant (CC) is the first filter against this kind of fraud. At Grupo Your we support every client in validating notifications, filing the declaration and responding to any official AT communication. If you receive an email that raises doubts, forward it to our team before taking any action.
The IRS campaign is a window of opportunity for fraudsters. Staying alert to the signs and having a trusted fiscal partner is the best protection.
