The Judicial Police is warning Portuguese taxpayers about a new campaign of fraudulent messages that use the name and image of the Tax and Customs Authority to convince victims that they have an IRS refund waiting. The scheme comes through communications announcing an alleged "approved 2025 refund" and presents amounts that can reach several thousand euros, between 3,936 and 7,989 euros, in an attempt to make the recipient believe they have money available to receive.
The fraudsters use references and expressions associated with the Tax Authority, such as "Welcome to the AT authentication service," seeking to make the communication more credible. The messages include a button with indications such as "Start authentication," through which the recipient is asked to proceed with the process to receive the alleged money. The goal is to lead the taxpayer to click on a link that redirects them to a fraudulent page.
The message also seeks to create urgency, indicating that the refund may be made available within three business days and that the user only has a few days to complete the procedures. It is precisely this type of pressure that should raise suspicions, according to the PJ.
The recommendation of the Judicial Police is clear: taxpayers should not click on the links received or enter personal data or credentials on pages opened through these messages. Anyone who receives a communication about an IRS refund should confirm the situation directly through the official channels of the Tax Authority, since logos and references to the AT are not sufficient to guarantee that a message is genuine.
