Fake Tax Office Scams in Denmark
Fraudsters impersonate SKAT (Danish Tax Agency) to steal MitID credentials or extort DKK payments from Danish residents.
Part of: Fake Tax Office Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
SKAT impersonation is one of the most common phishing patterns reported to the Danish Centre for Cyber Security (CFCS). Attackers send SMS or emails claiming a tax refund is pending or a debt must be cleared, directing victims to lookalike SKAT portals that harvest MitID credentials.
MitID replaced NemID in 2023 as Denmark's unified digital identity solution and is used for banking, public services, and legal signatures. Compromising MitID gives attackers broad access to victims' financial and government accounts.
How this scam works on Denmark
Victims receive an SMS claiming a DKK refund is waiting, with a link to a site mimicking skat.dk. The page requests MitID login, capturing the session and using it to log into the victim's bank and initiate transfers.
Phone variants feature callers claiming to be SKAT agents with specific debt amounts and threatening immediate enforcement unless paid via MobilePay to a 'state reference number'.
Some campaigns target businesses, claiming VAT discrepancies and requesting immediate payment or document upload to a fake business portal that installs credential-harvesting malware.
Common red flags
- SMS or email from SKAT containing a link to log in — SKAT uses secure e-Boks messaging, not SMS links
- MitID prompt on a page accessed via an unsolicited message
- Caller threatens same-day enforcement action unless DKK is paid via MobilePay
- URL not exactly skat.dk or told to use a personal reference number for MobilePay payment
- Request to share your MitID activation code with a caller
- Email from a non-skat.dk domain claiming a large unexpected refund
How to protect yourself
- Access SKAT only by typing skat.dk directly — never via SMS or email links
- Never share your MitID code or approve an unsolicited MitID request
- Verify any tax matter by logging into skat.dk via your own bookmark
- Hang up and call SKAT directly at 72 22 18 18 to verify any caller's claim
- Check your e-Boks at e-boks.dk for official SKAT communications
- Enable login notifications for your bank account linked to MitID
How to report it
- Report to Politi at politi.dk
- Notify CFCS at cfcs.dk
- Contact SKAT's fraud team directly at skat.dk so they can issue public alerts
Frequently asked questions
Does SKAT ever send refund links via SMS?
No. SKAT sends all official notifications via e-Boks. Any SMS claiming a tax refund with a login link is a phishing attempt.