The Tax Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira) has warned taxpayers about fraudulent SMS and email messages designed to trick recipients into visiting malicious pages or making improper payments, Correio da Manhã and Observador report. Authorities advise checking communications through official Tax Authority channels rather than following links in unsolicited messages.
Tax authority warns: ignore fraudulent messages
Monday, 23 February 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Tax debt is any tax owed to the Tax and Customs Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira) that was not paid by its deadline, such as IRS, VAT or IMI. Unpaid amounts accrue interest and can lead to enforcement proceedings (execução fiscal), and anyone with tax debt cannot obtain a certificate of good tax standing (certidão de não dívida), which is often required to receive public support or sign contracts with the state.
The Portal das Finanças is Portugal's official online tax platform, operated by the Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT — Tax and Customs Authority). It is where individuals and businesses file tax returns, check tax records, make payments, and manage their fiscal affairs.
Key functions include filing the annual IRS return (Modelo 3), accessing e-invoices (e-fatura), consulting property tax (IMI) records, requesting tax residency certificates, and paying outstanding tax debts. Access requires a NIF (tax identification number) and a password or digital key.
The portal is essential for anyone living or working in Portugal. Residents should be aware that scam messages impersonating the AT are common — always access the portal directly at portaldasfinancas.gov.pt rather than through links in emails or SMS.
