Greece-taxes: Business “scanner” for fake receipts

The arsenal of the tax audit mechanism is being strengthened with 1,500 laptops that will include the tax history of audited businesses and professionals and 1,700 portable scanners that will “read” cash register receipts.

The open electronic tender for the supply of the new control weapons is already “running” with the Independent Authority for State Proceeds-AADE having given a deadline for the submission of offers until November 21, 2023, while earlier, on November 1, according to the decision of the Commander of the AADE Giorgos Pitsilis, the obligation to integrate QR as established Code on all receipts that have an obligation to be electronically forwarded to AADE.

The procurement of the technological equipment with a total budget of 1,997,800 euros has been included in the Recovery Fund, while according to the tender notice, the supply of laptops allows for remote connection to carry out more effective checks, while the supply of portable handheld scanners (QR scanners ) is expected to meet the needs for the digital identification of documents bearing QR barcodes and to minimize the time it takes to verify their validity.

“Smart” tax audits

With laptops and QR Code Scanners, tax auditors will be able to check on the spot and with automatic procedures the authenticity of receipts issued by professionals and businesses, they will be connected directly to the AADE files, they will see the financial profile of controlled and will carry out online cross-checks and checks. Tax auditors will carry out on-site audits with a tablet, through which they will have direct access to the profile of the audited and will automatically issue a note with the results of the audit. Through tablets, tax officials will have direct access to all the data that outline the financial profile of the professional or the business.

Particularly:

– They will have the possibility to “check” on the spot and with automatic procedures the authenticity or otherwise of the receipts issued by the cash registers. In addition to the tablets, the inspectors will also be equipped with portable handheld scanners (QRScanners).

– They will check if the companies have submitted the data to the myDATA platform.

– They will carry out express data cross-checks.

– They will issue a report on the results of the audit on the basis of which sanctions and fines will be imposed in case they find concealment of turnover and non-return of VAT.

The verification of the receipts will be done through the QR code and the auditor will be able to check the authenticity of the receipts issued by the companies and whether they have been passed to the AADE systems. Through the portable scanners they will be able to find out if:

– The receipt has not been sent

– The receipt has been sent with different details

– The cash register is not registered or is inactive

All receipts with QR code

From November 1, all receipts issued will have a mandatory QR code. In this way, not only auditors but also citizens will be able to verify the authenticity of the receipt from their mobile phone, through the Appodixi application. At the same time, the auditors will also be able to directly determine whether the receipt is legal, as well as whether it has been sent within the time frame set by the law and the decisions in the electronic e-send system.