Currently, fraudulent emails are being sent that claim to be from the Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern). These emails contain fake invoices and ask you to make a payment:
Important information
Tax-related payment requests are only sent by your local tax office and only by regular mail.
The Federal Central Tax Office does not send invoices or payment requests via email.
These emails often look very convincing and may include official logos or wording.
Typically, they ask you to transfer money to a German bank account (via IBAN).
How to spot the fake
The sender's address does not end in “@bzst.bund.de”.
You receive an unexpected payment request with an attachment or link.
The message urges you to make a quick payment.
How to check if an email is a scam
Check the sender address carefully: Official authorities always use verifiable domains.
Look for spelling and grammar mistakes: Many fraudulent emails contain errors or odd phrasing.
Don’t click on links directly: Hover your mouse over links to see the real URL – do not click if the address looks suspicious.
Do not open attachments: Especially if you're not expecting them or don't know the sender.
Be skeptical of unsolicited payment requests: Legitimate authorities never demand urgent payments via email.
How you should respond
Do not open any attachments or links in suspicious emails.
Do not make any payments without first confirming their legitimacy.
Delete the email.
Mark such fraudulent emails as spam or junk in your email program.
When in doubt: Always check with us first!
If you're unsure about a payment request or email, don’t hesitate to contact us before reacting or making any payments. We can help verify whether it’s real or fake and provide the right guidance.
Do you need support?
For our clients:
Feel free to reach out to us anytime at kontakt-team@smarta-steuern.de or book a consultation here – we're here for you!
Not a smarta client yet? No problem!
Book an appointment here for our comprehensive startup package or a consultation if you only have questions about specific topics.
Further questions?
Contact us via the app or by email at kontakt-team@smarta-steuern.de if you want to learn more about our consulting services or have other tax-related concerns.