The Russian Federal Tax Service (FTS) has issued a warning about a surge in scam letters that impersonate tax authorities. In these messages, unknown individuals pose as representatives of the FTS and seek to identify suspicious transactions and taxpayer activity. The overall aim is to collect information or verification details under the guise of security checks.
Recipients are told to undergo additional verification steps or to provide more information about their accounts. The letters are crafted to look legitimate, using the language of official tax procedures to persuade the reader to respond quickly.
Officials from the Federal Tax Service stressed that no such messages originate from their office. They also clarified that there have been no phone calls offering tax payments via the internet or any other online method. The message from the agency is a clear warning to residents to ignore suspicious communications and not disclose personal or financial data.
There are documented cases illustrating how deceitful schemes operate. One case involved a 55-year-old kindergarten teacher in St. Petersburg who fell into debt after interacting with scammers and ended up losing a substantial sum. Another incident saw a 69-year-old woman in St. Petersburg surrender savings under the mistaken belief that she was supporting a film production project. In a separate scenario in Omsk, a cardiologist was manipulated into transferring 9.5 million rubles after being misled by someone posing as a superior within the organization. These stories highlight the real risk posed by phishing attempts that imitate official bodies and exploit trust in tax administration processes. [Source: Federal Tax Service]
Protective steps are straightforward. Do not respond to unsolicited messages that claim to be from tax authorities. Do not share passwords, verification codes, or financial information. If any doubt arises, contact the official tax service through verified channels and report suspicious communications to the appropriate authorities. Keeping software updated, enabling multi factor authentication, and reviewing account activity regularly can reduce vulnerability to these schemes. The goal of the scammers is to prompt a quick reaction; a calm, cautious approach is the best defense. [Source: Federal Tax Service]