Scam messages are increasing
As another tax year end approaches messages from HMRC are not unusual but always look out for emails, texts, phone calls and messages via other services that claim to be from HMRC – they may not be what they seem.
Many scammers are now much better at making their messages look like the genuine article, using logos, fonts and wording that mimic HMRC’s own communications. Even phone numbers and email addresses can be spoofed so that messages seem to be coming from a genuine source.
Unless you are expecting a message from HMRC, or even if you are, you should be especially suspicious if the message asks you for personal information or insists that urgent action is needed.
If a message has any of the following red flags do not respond to it without checking:
- “Dear Customer” or other generic form of address
- Links to another site or an online form, sometimes texts from HMRC contain a link to the .GOV website or webchat but the site will never ask for further information
- Requests for specified amounts to be paid or states a specified refund
- Requests for personal, tax or financial information – HMRC will never ask for bank details, PINs or passwords
- A request for you to reply to a non-HMRC email – check all email addresses carefully as scam email addresses can look very similar to HMRC’s own email address, often only one letter different
- Attachments – do not open attachments unless you have agreed that HMRC may send you attachments by email and you are expecting something from them
If you have an HMRC online account, always check this for messages from HMRC.
If you think that a message is a scam you should forward it to HMRC and delete it. Suspicious emails can be forwarded to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk suspicious texts can be forwarded to 60599 (network charges apply) and suspicious phone calls can be reported on the .GOV website.