In the fall, the millions of citizens subject to tax receive their tax receipts for the previous year in their mailboxes, based on their tax declaration submitted, at the latest, for the month of July. A document which indicates how much the citizen will receive… or how much he will have to pay to the tax authorities.
Have you received an email from the police signed by Europol President Catherine De Bolle? Above all, don’t answer it!
It is on this basis that thieves claim dozens of victims each year. By anticipating the sending of this missive, the scammers hope to sometimes recover several thousand euros. “As the FPS Finance begins to send role extract warnings, cybercriminals are taking advantage of the opportunity to send phishing emails on a large scale, warns the FPS Finance. They seek to obtain your personal information by pretending to reimburse you or to scare you into paying them money.”
Some fraudulent emails or letters invite the citizen to go to a website where they are then invited to provide their personal data, including access codes to their bank accounts. With which the crooks will be able to happily help themselves. Other emails or letters, almost exact copies of those sent by the FPS, invite the recipient to pay a certain sum into an account which is, ultimately, not that of the FPS Finances. “Never click on links received by e-mail,” warns the SPF. If you have any doubts, go to the source site (MyMinfin.be). And never give out your personal information by email. The FPS Finances never asks you for personal information by email.”
SPF advice for recognizing attempted fraud:
- The official extensions of our email addresses are @minfin.fed.be and @mailing.minfin.fed.be. If the sender of the email does not use this extension or uses a similar extension (example: @minfin.fgov.be, @minfin-fed.org, etc.): this is an attempt phishing. Attention ! If the sender of the email uses one of these two official extensions, this does not always guarantee the veracity of the email! Always check other fraud indicators below.
- You are asked to communicate confidential banking data or information related to the use of your online banking (digipass, etc.).
- The news is too good to be true or is totally unexpected. You receive a message suddenly announcing that you will be reimbursed a certain amount. You are being asked to pay off a debt when you have no idea what it is.
- The request is urgent, pressing : keep your cool and take the time to analyze the request.
- The bank account to which you are asked to make a payment is not an FPS Finance bank account. There are only a limited number of ways to make a payment to the FPS Finances: You use MyMinfin. You pay the amount into an official account. This always has the following structure: BEXX 6792 XXXX XXXX.You go to one of our offices to make payment.
- The message contains many mistakes spellingof language.
- The person speaking to you by phone shows themselves insistent and threatening for you to make an emergency payment.
- You receive a e-mail, text message or WhatsApp from a bailiff’s office asking you to settle a debt on our behalf. We work with bailiffs but they do not send official documents by email. More advice on fraud attempts from fake bailiffs.