As of 27 July 2026, the State Tax Inspectorate of Lithuania (VMI) released an urgent advisory concerning fraudulent text messages that masquerade as official VMI communications. These messages claim that recipients have won undisclosed sums of money and urge immediate contact via a provided phone number or a link, using VMI’s brand to appear legitimate. VMI clarified that such SMS campaigns are unauthorised and represent an attempt to harvest personal data or facilitate financial scams. The authority instructed citizens to verify any unsolicited tax‑related message through official VMI contact channels, to refrain from responding, and to forward suspicious messages to the dedicated reporting address. The warning is part of a broader effort to combat digital tax‑fraud schemes that exploit trusted government symbols. VMI also updated its website with examples of typical fraudulent texts and recommended verification steps, which are accessible to the public. This advisory seeks to raise awareness, protect taxpayers, and reduce the effectiveness of these scams.
Key Takeaways
- Unauthorised SMS Campaign: Fraudsters send messages pretending to be VMI, promising false monetary rewards.
- Verification Required: Citizens must check authenticity via official VMI channels and ignore unsolicited contact.
- Reporting Procedure: Suspicious messages should be forwarded to VMI’s official reporting line and not responded to.
Source: Read Original Announcement