Users of the Elster tax program are now being lured with a supposed remaining tax amount. You can see what you need to pay attention to when it comes to dubious phishing emails here.
Spam emails can be quite annoying and are currently also affecting Elster customers. (Source: Devon /depositphotos.com)
At the beginning of the new year, the topic of tax returns becomes particularly important again. Many taxpayers are increasingly using practical tax software such as WISO Steuer or Wundertax. But fraudsters are also currently targeting customers of tax programs. In this case, the German tax processing software ELSTER was affected by a nasty phishing attack.
Some users have recently received phishing emails in the name of Elster with the subject “Last request – remaining tax amount from 2022“. This points out an apparent remaining tax amount that has not yet been calculated and that you are supposedly entitled to. You will also be given a link through which you can supposedly get to your form and claim this amount.
In a phishing email, customers are informed of an alleged remaining tax amount that they should claim from ELSTER. (Source: consumer advice center)
But you should definitely not click on this supposed link, as this could allow third parties to access your data. The fraudsters take advantage of people’s ignorance to make quick money using your email addresses and names. This information is then sold for advertising purposes or distributed in dubious forums.
How do you recognize phishing emails?
In comparison to other spam emails, where “Dear customer” is often simply written, in the case presented here you will even be addressed with a personal salutation. The Elster logo was also copied into the email and is intended to guarantee authenticity. However, you should remain attentive and not let it irritate you.
Pay particular attention to the sender of the email, which is different from official Elster messages. Also the particular urgency in the email such as “We ask you to respond” and “can […] “Do not guarantee that the amount will be paid out on time” seems to take advantage of people’s fears, as the topic of taxes can cause a lot of uncertainty.
You can also pay attention to possible spelling errors and unpleasant wording, as such phishing messages are often generated automatically or well-known emails are simply translated using a translation program. This is how fraudsters spread the news quickly on the Internet.
More fraud warnings on netzwelt – stay one step ahead of cybercriminals
But phishing emails are not the only danger lurking on the Internet. In addition to attempted fraud, there are all sorts of viruses, Trojans and malware that can infect your computer. Unfortunately, data scandals are also part of everyday digital life. You can see the five most recent articles on the topic of “fraud warnings” below:
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