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This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain. In this way, you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense. Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain.
Almeria
It is often said that knowledge is power, and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country, like Spain. Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture, rules, events, and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time.
This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain. In this way, you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense. Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain.
Almeria
By Marc Menendez-Roche • Updated: 20 Jan 2025 • 20:04 • 2 minutes read
Scam Alert message on smartphone screen caused by cyber attack initiated through a text scam with fake messages from Hacienda in Spain. Taxman warns of sneaky SMS scam hitting Spanish phones: Don’t be taken in! Credit: Shutterstock, Adao
A massive new scam is on the rise in Spain, and it’s playing tricks with your phone. Read on to find out how to avoid one of the most dangerous text scams around.
Scammers are spoofing Spain’s tax agency, Hacienda – here’s how to spot the fake texts:
Spain’s Tax Agency, La Agencia Tributaria, has issued a warning after a flood of fake SMS messages hit taxpayers across the country. The scammers are using a technique called spoofing to make the messages look like they’ve come directly from the official tax office – but don’t be fooled, it’s all a dirty trick.
Scammers are banking on users who are busy, stressed, tired, or simply do not know the country well enough to spot their fraudulent messages. What they do if you fall for their tricks will shock you.
The dodgy messages are designed to look legitimate, appearing as if they’ve come from the same number La Agencia Tributaria uses to communicate with taxpayers. But don’t be misled! These fake texts use spoofing, a clever tactic that makes the SMS look like it’s part of an ongoing conversation you’ve had with the tax office. They’re even showing up in the same thread as genuine, previous messages, which tricks people into believing they’re authentic. Most people don’t even know that criminals can do this, but they can, and do.
The Spanish tax office has urged anyone who gets these suspicious messages to avoid clicking on any links or taking action until they’ve double-checked things. The advice is simple: if you’re at all unsure, head directly to the Agencia Tributaria website to do your checks, and don’t fall for links embedded in texts.
According to the experts, the scam messages are appearing in the same conversation threads used by the tax office for legitimate messages. This makes it all the more difficult to spot the difference – the fake messages look so convincing!
Here’s the tax office’s list of tips to keep you safe from the scammers:
Remember, the scammers are clever, but you can stay one step ahead. Keep your eyes peeled and don’t let these criminals take advantage of your trust!
Stay smart, stay safe – don’t get taken in by this dangerous new SMS scam!
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Marc is a writer, teacher, and language enthusiast. With a background in business and legal communication and an interest in educational neuroscience, Marc has spent over a decade teaching and writing. Now, as part of the team at Euro Weekly News, Marc enjoys diving into entertaining topics and stories that matter to the community. When he’s not writing, Marc loves practising martial arts, playing football, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or spending quality time with friends and family, but above all, Marc enjoys spending time with his son, Macson.
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