Govt launches 'cashback' scheme to up digital payments

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 19 - The government on Monday launched a "cashback" scheme including a lottery aimed at rewarding and encouraging digital rather than cash payments to fight tax evasion.
    Reimbursements in the scheme will come at six-monthly intervals, in July 2021, January 2022 and July 2022, it said.
    There will be two 1,500 euro prizes for the first 100,000 people who rack up the highest number of digital payments.
    The first cashback payout will come on Christmas buying, in February, according to a draft decree ANSA has seen.
    In order to take part in the scheme, people have to be adults and have bank accounts.
    The government is hoping to increase the use of credit cards, also for small payments, in order to fight tax dodging.
    Tax evasion deprives government coffers of millions of euros every year.
    It has long been seen as a major problem for the Italian economy and government finances. (ANSA).