Fake Tax Office Scams in Greece
Fraudsters impersonating the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (ΑΑΔΕ) target Greek taxpayers with fake refund notifications and urgent payment demands.
Part of: Fake Tax Office Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Greece's tax authority, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (Ανεξάρτητη Αρχή Δημοσίων Εσόδων, ΑΑΔΕ), is regularly impersonated in phishing and smishing campaigns targeting Greek taxpayers. These campaigns exploit the complexity of the Greek tax system and taxpayers' familiarity with the myTAXISnet portal, which is the central platform for all tax declarations and payments in Greece.
The Cybercrime Division of the Hellenic Police issues regular alerts as campaigns intensify around Greek tax-filing deadlines (typically February–June). Victims who click phishing links risk surrendering their myTAXISnet login credentials, enabling criminals to access their complete tax and financial profile.
How this scam works on Greece
Phishing emails impersonate the ΑΑΔΕ website layout and claim the recipient is entitled to a tax refund ('επιστροφή φόρου') of €200–€500 and must enter their TAXISnet username, password and card details to process it.
SMS variants warn of an overdue tax obligation that will incur penalties unless paid via a link within 48 hours. The link leads to a cloned myTAXISnet portal harvesting credentials.
A newer variant targets Greek self-employed workers and small-business owners with fake invoices for outstanding VAT ('ΦΠΑ') or income tax balances, with a payment link to a fraudulent portal.
Common red flags
- Unexpected email or SMS about a tax refund or overdue tax demand
- Link in message does not lead to the official aade.gr or taxisnet.gr domain
- Request for TAXISnet credentials or card details via email or SMS
- Urgent deadline to prevent penalties — legitimate ΑΑΔΕ communications provide standard deadlines
- Email domain uses hyphens or additional words not present in the official aade.gr domain
- VAT or income-tax demand via SMS with a payment link
How to protect yourself
- Access myTAXISnet only by typing taxisnet.gr directly into your browser
- ΑΑΔΕ refunds are credited automatically to your registered bank account — no action needed
- Call the ΑΑΔΕ helpline on 15515 to verify any unexpected communication
- Report phishing to the ΑΑΔΕ and to the Cybercrime Division
- Use two-factor authentication on your myTAXISnet account where available
How to report it
- ΑΑΔΕ: aade.gr — contact and fraud report
- Hellenic Police Cybercrime Division: cybercrimeunit.gr — phishing report
- ENISA (EU agency): enisa.europa.eu — for cross-border phishing reporting
Frequently asked questions
How does the real ΑΑΔΕ contact Greek taxpayers?
ΑΑΔΕ sends formal notifications through the myTAXISnet inbox accessible at taxisnet.gr and by postal letter. It does not request TAXISnet credentials or card payments via SMS or email.