Millions of taxpayers are affected by sophisticated email scams.
Millions of taxpayers in Germany are being targeted by a sophisticated email scam impersonating the official online tax platform Elster. Consumer protection agencies warn that fraudulent messages are circulating with the subject line “Reminder: Information required for your tax refund.”
The fake emails claim that a tax refund has been temporarily suspended due to “incomplete information” in the tax return. Recipients are urged to fill out a form via an attached link to release the payment. Experts say the use of urgent language such as “Mahnung” (reminder) and “absolutely necessary” is intended to pressure victims into acting quickly.
Authorities point out several clear signs of phishing. These include an impersonal salutation, a suspicious sender address, threatening wording, and embedded links. Consumer protection experts stress that tax matters should only be handled through the official Elster portal at elster.de or directly with the relevant Finanzamt (tax office).
Citizens are strongly advised not to respond under any circumstances and to move suspicious emails straight to the spam folder. Experts emphasize that nothing will happen if recipients ignore the message. The real danger begins only if someone clicks on a link and enters sensitive information such as passwords or bank details.
Fraudsters often use automated systems capable of generating random email addresses and phone numbers until they reach real users. In some cases, contact details may also have been exposed through previous data breaches. These phishing waves typically appear every few months, with several messages sent over a short period before stopping again.
In examples reviewed by editors, some recipients received multiple fraudulent messages within days. Those who ignored the emails or reported them as spam remained unaffected. Over time, many email and phone systems automatically recognize repeated scam attempts and filter them directly into the spam folder, offering additional protection.