Since its launch in September 2022, Greece’s Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) has reported that 208,534 citizen complaints have been submitted through its new Appodixi app (meaning Receipt, in Greek).

Available for both Android and iOS, in Greek and English, Appodixi app users simply scan the QR code on their receipt using their mobile phone’s camera. The Appodixi app then displays different messages depending on the receipt’s status. For instance, the app might confirm that the receipt has been transmitted to AADE, showing details like the till number, business VAT number, receipt number, date, time, and transaction value.

If the Appodixi app detects irregularities, the user is prompted to report the receipt, by taking a photo of it, selecting a reason for the complaint from a list, adding any observations, and choosing to file the complaint either anonymously or eponymously.

According to AADE, of the 208,534 total complaints submitted so far, 112,855 were made eponymously, while 95,679 were made anonymously.

The prevalence of eponymous whistleblowers is attributed to the financial incentive that accompanies each complaint verified by AADE. An eponymous whistleblower can receive up to ten times the value of their receipt, or up to €3,000 (about $3,519).

About a year after the introduction of the Appodixi app, AADE also launched its web-based reporting platform which has so far attracted 58,907 complaints. 51,252 of these are related to tax violations, 753 concern customs infractions (mainly smuggling), and 6,902 are linked to corruption cases. Of these, 7,374 complaints, or approximately 14 percent, have been submitted eponymously.

Both the Appodixi app and AADE’s online reporting platform are now considered powerful tools in the Greek government’s fight against tax evasion.