More than 10 000 certificates in the western province will lapse this spring, and criminals are sending SMS messages that mimic official renewal reminders. Victims are lured to a fake government portal where they are asked to re-enter personal data and download remote-access software. Investigators confirmed two successful frauds with losses in the five-figure euro range and a third attempt that was foiled at the last minute. ID-Austria—formerly “Handy-Signatur”—has become the indispensable gateway for both citizens and foreign residents to access FinanzOnline, social-insurance portals, and dozens of immigration-related e-government services. Multinational companies use it to file payroll taxes for posted workers and to enrol new hires in Austria’s health system. Any interruption can jeopardise salary payments or residence-permit renewals, making expats a prime target for scammers.