Dysfunction in Tax Evasion Reporting Channels: The Paradox of Hotline 1517 and Barriers within AADE

Citizens seeking to report tax evasion are facing significant obstacles, according to data released through the 'fix1517.gr' initiative. Reported malfunctions involve both the digital systems of the ΑΑΔΕ (Independent Authority for Public Revenue) and the authorities' telephone communication lines, creating a labyrinthine landscape for whistleblowers.

The Paradox of Hotline 1517

Published reports reveal a clear contradiction between the official guidelines of the Υπουργείο Οικονομικών (Ministry of Finance) and the actual operation of the 1517 telephone line. While the Ministry's official website (minfin.gov.gr) explicitly states that citizens can submit complaints via telephone at 1517, representatives of the line are reportedly informing callers that they do not accept complaints by phone. It is noted that the functions of the legacy Σ.Δ.Ο.Ε. (Financial Crimes Squad) were absorbed by AADE, which is currently promoting the enhancement of tax audits through Artificial Intelligence; however, the 1517 number, though maintained, lacks the practical capacity to receive telephone reports of fraud from the public.

Digital Barriers and ERP System Gaps

The inability to report via telephone is compounded by technical issues in digital infrastructure. According to the history provided on the platform, a case was identified involving a certified hotel ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system that allegedly allows the deletion of completed stays. Through this practice, cash is collected normally, the reservation disappears, and myDATA (Greece's mandatory e-invoicing platform) is completely bypassed.

Nevertheless, attempts to electronically report this software through the AADE digital platform proved impossible, even as new regulations for the self-employed are being implemented in tax filings. The platform displays errors and rejects the complaint, which is attributed to either a conflict with the software company's ΑΦΜ (Tax Identification Number), content blocking, or an inactive system endpoint.

Institutional Deadlocks and the FIX1517.GR Initiative

Obstacles for whistleblowers extend beyond digital means. Reports claim that, in addition to the refusal of the 1517 line, the Economic Police hotline (11012) did not respond to 24 recorded calls. Furthermore, an incident was recorded where a Director of a local ΔΟΥ (Local Public Tax Office) refused to accept a formal complaint document, forcing the citizen to leave.

The exhaustion of these institutional avenues eventually led to the direct filing of a full complaint with the Εισαγγελία (Prosecutor's Office). In response to these systemic deadlocks—at a time when digital transformation and infrastructure recovery are at the forefront—the fix1517.gr platform was created. The goal of this online movement is to organize public pressure through social media and mass letters to the Ministry, in order to restore the functionality of the 1517 line and ensure that citizens can freely report tax evasion without facing endless bureaucratic and digital absurdity.