Fake Tax Office Scams in Norway
Fraudsters impersonate Skatteetaten (Norwegian Tax Administration) to extort payments or steal BankID credentials from Norwegian residents.
Part of: Fake Tax Office Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Skatteetaten impersonation campaigns regularly target Norwegian residents, leveraging the authority of the national tax system. Scammers use SMS, email, and spoofed phone calls to allege tax debts or prompt fake refund collections, directing victims to phishing pages that harvest Norwegian BankID or MinID credentials.
Because BankID and MinID underpin most Norwegian digital services — including banking, government portals, and health records — compromising these credentials gives attackers broad access to a victim's digital life. Skatteetaten has confirmed it never sends login links by SMS.
How this scam works on Norway
An SMS arrives from an apparent 'Skatteetaten' sender claiming a refund of several hundred NOK is available. The link resolves to a convincing fake portal that requests BankID login, capturing the session token which is then used to authorise bank transactions.
Telephone variants use spoofed caller IDs. The caller claims an error in the victim's last tax return has created a liability of a specific NOK amount, threatening immediate enforcement action unless payment is made via Vipps or bank transfer to a 'state account number'.
Some operations combine phishing emails with follow-up calls from 'Skatteetaten officers' who offer to 'help' complete the fraudulent BankID step.
Common red flags
- SMS or email from Skatteetaten containing a link to log in — official contact comes via Altinn or secure post
- BankID prompt on a page you reached through an unsolicited message
- Caller demands same-day Vipps payment to a numbered account for a tax debt
- Threat of wage garnishment or bailiff visit within hours
- URL is not exactly skatteetaten.no
- Request for full BankID one-time code read aloud to a caller
How to protect yourself
- Access Skatteetaten only at skatteetaten.no typed directly — never via SMS links
- Never approve a BankID or MinID request you did not personally initiate
- Verify any alleged tax matter by logging into Altinn at altinn.no
- Hang up and call Skatteetaten at 800 80 000 to verify any caller's claim
- Enable transaction alerts on all accounts linked to your BankID
- Educate elderly relatives about BankID impersonation tactics
How to report it
- Report to Politiet at politiet.no or call 02800
- Notify Skatteetaten's fraud team so they can issue public warnings
- Contact your bank if BankID was used to authorise any transaction
Frequently asked questions
Will Skatteetaten ever send me a refund link by SMS?
No. Skatteetaten communicates refunds through your registered bank account and notifies you via Altinn secure messaging. If you receive an SMS with a refund link, it is a scam.