Fake German Finance Ministry Letters Target Crypto Investors

Crypto investors in Germany are being targeted by scammers using fake letters claiming to be from the Federal Ministry of Finance. These letters demand payment of a 19% VAT on cryptocurrency purchases, citing real transactions and official terminology to lend credibility.

The Federal Ministry of Finance has listed these letters as forgeries on its warning page since September 1, 2026. According to the ministry, exchanging euros for Bitcoin and back is exempt from VAT under German tax law.

The scammers are exploiting the expectation of investors that they will receive mail from authorities following the start of user data reporting by trading platforms in January 2026. The letters reference real transactions, which can make them seem legitimate.

However, a simple test can be used to identify these scams: only tax offices set taxes, and as a rule, they do this by post, not via email or text message. If the demand names a sender other than your competent tax office, something is wrong.