Fake Tax Office Scams in Italy
Fraudsters impersonating the Agenzia delle Entrate demand urgent tax payments or personal data from Italian residents by phone, email and SMS.
Part of: Fake Tax Office Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Italy's tax authority, the Agenzia delle Entrate, is one of the most impersonated institutions in Italian fraud. Criminals send official-looking emails, SMS messages and make phone calls claiming unpaid taxes are about to result in asset seizure or criminal proceedings, exploiting widespread anxiety around Italy's complex tax system.
The Guardia di Finanza and Agenzia delle Entrate publish regular warnings about these campaigns, which intensify around Italian tax-filing deadlines (typically June and November). Victims are pressured to pay via wire transfer, prepaid card or crypto to avoid 'immediate enforcement action'.
How this scam works on Italy
Phishing emails mimic the official Agenzia delle Entrate layout, complete with the agency's logo and official-sounding email addresses using slight misspellings such as 'agenziaentrate-comunicazioni.it'. They often include a link to a spoofed portal requesting tax code (codice fiscale), IBAN and identity-document details.
Vishing calls claim the recipient's tax code has been flagged and that a 'funzionario dell'Agenzia' (agency officer) requires immediate payment or personal information to prevent legal action. The caller may already possess partial personal data sourced from data breaches, making the call seem legitimate.
A newer variant involves fake Equitalia-style letters (Equitalia was the former state collections agency) sent by post to residential addresses.
Common red flags
- Unexpected contact from 'Agenzia delle Entrate' demanding immediate payment
- Request for payment via prepaid card, gift card or crypto — the real agency never does this
- Email domain does not end in agenziaentrate.gov.it
- Caller refuses to provide a callback number on the official website
- Threat of immediate asset seizure if you do not pay within hours
- Request for codice fiscale or bank details over the phone
- Letter or email written in poor Italian with grammatical errors
How to protect yourself
- Log into your official 'Cassetto fiscale' account at agenziaentrate.gov.it to check any real outstanding debts
- Call the Agenzia delle Entrate directly on 800.90.96.96 (freephone) to verify any contact
- Never click links in unexpected tax-related emails — type the URL directly
- Pay any genuine tax liability only through official channels: F24 form via your bank or CAF
- Register for SPID digital identity to access all official tax communications securely
How to report it
- Agenzia delle Entrate fraud reporting: agenziaentrate.gov.it/portale/web/guest/contatti — contact and report misuse
- Polizia Postale: commissariatodips.it — report phishing and vishing
- Guardia di Finanza: 117 (freephone) — report financial fraud
Frequently asked questions
How does the real Agenzia delle Entrate contact taxpayers?
The agency sends formal letters by post to your registered address, and official electronic communications only through your certified email (PEC) or the secure 'Cassetto fiscale' portal. It never demands payment by phone or requests gift-card payments.