HMRC warning of scam emails
HRMC have issued a warning that fraudsters are targeting taxpayers with scam emails in advance of the 31 January deadline for online submission of Self Assessment returns. It is also expected that this fraudulent activity will continue after the due date for submission with requests for personal information at a time when many taxpayers will be expecting to hear from HMRC.
A number of these scams purport to tell taxpayers they are due a refund of tax from HMRC and direct people to a dummy HMRC website that looks very real. This asks for bank or credit card details in order to send the “refund” and then redirects people to the real HMRC website. The fraud only becomes aparent when money starts to be taken from bank accounts. HMRC is also aware of similar fraudulent activities being undertaken by telephone.
HMRC confirms that they only ever make contact with taxpayers due a refund by post and never use emails, telephone or external companies for this activity.
HMRC advises taxpayers to forward unopened emails which mention tax refunds tophishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk. In any case taxpayers who open emails should ensure that they do not click on any attachments or links in emails.
HMRC have identified the following fraudulent email addresses from which emails are being sent –
refundtax@hmrc.gov.co.uk
TaxRefund@hmrc.gov.uk
service@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
claims@hmrc.direct.gov.uk
notice@hmrc.gov.uk
hmrc@hmrc.gov.uk
admin@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
info@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
no-reply@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
HMRC confirmed that it does not send out any emails using these email addresses.