Scammers take advantage of Austrian digital ID certificates’ expiry

Around 300,000 Austrian digital ID certificates for public services are due to expire this year and scammers are exploiting uncertainty around the process. The first fraud cases were recorded by police in the western state of Vorarlberg, with two resulting in financial losses in the five-figure range.

Users of ID Austria have been receiving fake text messages purporting to be from the Federal Ministry of Finance urging them to update their information and directing them to phishing links. After entering their personal data, the victims were contacted by unknown perpetrators by phone, who persuaded them to install remote-access software.

Once the perpetrators gained access, they were able to access the victims’ bank accounts without authorization and carry out transactions, according to police spokesperson Fabian Marchetti. The police have advised carefully verifying any emails or text messages requesting the renewal of ID Austria, according to Austria’s public broadcaster ORF.

“Under no circumstances should you allow remote access to your own computer,” says Marchetti.

ID Austria allows users to access government services, including those from the Ministry of Finance and social security. The electronic identity system has previously come under criticism for its complicated interface and performance issues, while organizations such as Vienna-based digital rights group Epicenter.Works say that the scheme is outdated.

“The existing ID Austria was designed in 2017 and is based on outdated standards,” the group said in a statement last month. “Data protection-friendly innovations are lacking, and these are precisely what is essential for secure online use.”

​Last year, the country announced a relaunch of the Austria ID system to create a “more user-friendly and simpler” service.

Meanwhile, Austria has also launched a new digital ID wallet called eAusweise, which supports mobile driver’s licenses (mDL) and other certificates.

Article Topics

Austria  |  cybersecurity  |  digital ID  |  fraud  |  government services