As the Tax Return deadline is fast approaching, scammers are using this as a way of targeting unsuspecting taxpayers. They have stepped up their game by sending out yet another batch of fake tax rebate emails.
So how can you avoid becoming a victim of this?
The scam is that criminals send out an email, claiming to be from HMRC, saying that you are due a refund. It will then go on to say that you need to submit a tax refund request which will take between 3-6 working days to process it.
When you click on a link in the email you will be re-directed to a fake website resembling the genuine HMRC website, where you are asked to enter personal details such as your name, address, credit/debit cardnumber, expiration date, security code. It claims that it needs this information in order to credit the funds to your account. Once you have entered these details you will then be re-directed to the real HMRC website, and you will be oblivious to what has happened until you notice that money has left your account/credit card.
HMRC is fully aware of these emails and has consequently issued guidance to all taxpayers saying that ‘ HM Revenue & Customs will never send notifications of a tax rebate by email, or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by email’. HMRC recommend that you should always access the HMRC website by typing www.hmrc.gov.uk into your web browser address bar, rather than following any links inside emails.
It has also published a list of fake email addresses:
hmrc@gov.uk
service@online.com
info@hmrc.gov.uk
rebate@hmrc.gov.uk
altersonline@hmrc.co.uk
srvcs@hmrc.co.uk
customs@hmrc.gov.uk
refunds@hmrc.gov.uk
refund.alert@hmrc.gov.uk
mailto:annual.tax@hmrc.gov.uk
email@hmrc.gov.uk
and HMRC official guidance on the matter can be found on thier website here.
Some scammers, however, have decided to take an alternative approach other than just sending out emails. Some criminals have started telephoning tax payers to obtain their personal details by offering the bogus refunds.
As you may already be aware these scams are not new. So, as the tax return deadline approaches is worth being especially wary of any emails appearing in your mailbox that claim to be from HMRC. Any emails of this nature should be deleted immediatel
If you are a client of DEB Chartered Accountants then you will have been informed by us whether you have a refund due to you when we wrote to you when we sent you Tax Return for approval. If you have not received such a notification from us, and receive any email mentioning a refund view it with suspicion. If you have any concerns and would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Recent Comments