TLDR
Email impersonating the national tax authority of another EU country (where the business operates cross border) claims a 'VAT MOSS / OSS refund' of EUR 1,800 12,500 is pending, requesting confirmation of IBAN and a 'verification fee' (1.5...
How it works
Email impersonating the national tax authority of another EU country (where the business operates cross border) claims a 'VAT MOSS / OSS refund' of EUR 1,800 12,500 is pending, requesting confirmation of IBAN and a 'verification fee' (1.5...
Red flags
- Urgent pressure to click, pay, or share codes immediately.
- A link or sender that does not match the official organization.
- Requests for card data, passwords, OTPs, wallet signatures, or bank transfers.
What to do
- 1Email impersonating the national tax authority of another EU country (where the business operates cross border) claims a 'VAT MOSS / OSS refund' of EUR 1,800 12,500 is pending, requesting confirmation of IBAN and a 'verification fee' (1.5 3% of refund).
- 2Indicators: 1) tax authority does not charge verification fees; 2) sender domain mimics e.g.
Source
FAQ
Is Europol — cross border VAT refund scam targeting EU SMEs and freelancers a real scam pattern?
Yes. Treat the message, call, or payment request as suspicious until you verify it through an official channel.
What are the first warning signs?
Urgent pressure to click, pay, or share codes immediately.; A link or sender that does not match the official organization.; Requests for card data, passwords, OTPs, wallet signatures, or bank transfers.
What should I do first?
Email impersonating the national tax authority of another EU country (where the business operates cross border) claims a 'VAT MOSS / OSS refund' of EUR 1,800 12,500 is pending, requesting confirmation of IBAN and a 'verification fee' (1.5 3% of refund).; Indicators: 1) tax authority does not charge verification fees; 2) sender domain mimics e.g.
Can LegalAudit check my case?
Yes. Start a free chat and paste the message, link, sender, or payment details for triage.