Pharmacies in the city of Girona have received suspicious calls in recent days in which a person, posing as a representative of the City Council, demands immediate payment of municipal taxes. The Col·legi de Farmacèutics de Girona (COFGi) has publicly warned about these scam attempts that affect various establishments in the capital of Girona.
The method of the alleged scammer and the amounts claimed
According to the notifications received, the alleged scammer contacts pharmacies using a friendly and familiar tone. During the conversation, he requests the urgent payment of a pending tax, usually the Real Estate Tax (IBI) or the Economic Activities Tax (IAE). In one of the cases, the amount claimed amounted to about 1,800 euros, corresponding to the IAE.
The individual presses for the payment to be made immediately, arguing that this avoids a surcharge. Furthermore, he offers to help process the payment at that very moment with the aim of accelerating the decision and avoiding checks by the victim.
"It's a fairly realistic amount, as it's what I've had to pay this year, but they've insisted so much that you end up doubting whether you've made the payment correctly" - Affected Pharmacist, Girona
Recommendations and warnings of the COFGi
The COFGi has reminded professionals that these scams are based on provoking fear and urgency to force hasty payments outside of usual channels. For this reason, the entity recommends acting calmly and not making any immediate payment in response to unexpected financial claims.
Among the main recommendations, the COFGi insists on the importance of always verifying the origin of the call or visit, contacting the official body directly before carrying out any procedure, and distrusting pressures or threats linked to supposed surcharges.
In case of suspected crime, the professional college advises notifying the Mossos d'Esquadra or calling 112 to report the situation.
Internal measures and dissemination of the notice
The COFGi has requested that the notice be disseminated among the teams of Girona pharmacies and that internal mechanisms be established to avoid incidents and reinforce security against possible scam attempts. The objective is to minimize risk and ensure that establishments can identify and stop these types of fraud as quickly as possible.
- The COFGi warns of scam attempts in Girona pharmacies
- The alleged scammer poses as the City Council and demands immediate payments
- Pharmacies must verify the origin of any unexpected financial claim
- In case of doubt, it is recommended to contact Mossos d"Esquadra or 112