HMRC scams - Tax scams
HMRC scams
There has been a rise in criminals pretending to be from HMRC
Criminals will use a variety of techniques to get hold of your personal information or bank details. They may already have lots of information about you due to third-party companies who have been subject to a data breach too. The main goal these criminals have is to steal money from innocent people.
HMRC scams are becoming increasingly common, which is why we want to inform you of the possible signs to prevent you from falling victim. This type of scam involves criminals attempting to entice you into handing details over by promising a tax rebate or threatening you with a fine.
They may claim to be called directly from HMRC or through a third party that deals with tax rebates. Callers will sound extremely professional, which will trick their victims into believing they are genuine. This often results in people handing their bank details directly over to the criminal so they can process the tax repayment. However, money will never go into their account. Instead, they will drain any more the person has.
You might not even talk to these criminals directly over the phone. It's common for them to send out emails, texts, or voicemails.
A message from HRMC scams will typically look like this:
'HMRC
GOVUK: Our records show that your tax refund of £398.90 can now be claimed. Please continue via:https://ukhmrc-tax-refund.com to claim your refund.'
When you click the link in the email or text, it’ll direct you to a website that looks identical to HMRC. You will then be told to enter personal information such as:
Your name
Home address
Date of birth
Credit/debit card details
Passwords
Not only can providing this information give a criminal access to your bank account, but they can also sell your details to third parties on the dark web.
HMRC scams are just another example of identity theft. These criminals will use your information for their own, personal gain.
What are the signs of a tax scam?
There are many signs you need to look out for when trying to avoid the rise in HMRC scams. Questions you need to ask yourself when trying to identify HMRC scams include:
What are they asking for? HMRC will never ask you to send over bank details or personal information via email or text.
Are they contacting you through social media? HMRC will NEVER do this.
Is the text message or email prompting you to click a link to enter your details? If they are telling you to click the link and enter your details to receive your tax refund, this is a huge red flag that it's an HMRC scam. HMRC will never ask you to click a link and will instead ask you to log into your account using your usual method.
Are they using threatening or urgent language? Criminals will often do this to pressure people into doing as they ask. They might even threaten you by saying a warrant is out for your arrest because you owe money to HMRC.
Are you expecting a message/call from HMRC? If the call or message is out of the blue it might be an HMRC scam.
Are there any spelling mistakes in the text or email? Most messages being sent out by HMRC will have been thoroughly checked before sending.
Have they addressed you by your name? If they have addressed you by 'Dear customer,' this is a sign that it's a generic email/text. Phishing scams will often be sent out to a mass group of people, so they will avoid using a specific name. Genuine HMRC emails/texts will always refer to you by your name.
How do I protect myself against this crime?
You must be vigilant when receiving calls, texts, or emails from someone claiming to be from HMRC. Remaining cautious is the best way to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. However, a few more steps you can take include:
You shouldn't trust an email from HMRC just because the email address looks legitimate. Criminals will attempt to make the email address look similar to a genuine one so that more people fall for their scam. If you suspect an email address to be fake, report it to Action Fraud.
Even if the email address is genuine their account may have been hacked. It's a common technique for cybercriminals to hack employees’ emails and begin sending out phishing emails to other employees and customers. So, you need to pay attention to what they are asking for, just in case.
Look out for threatening or urgent language. No genuine company will ever make its customers feel scared or pressured. If any email, text, or call is making you feel this way (genuine or not), you need to report it.
If you do receive a text or email claiming to be from HMRC and it contains a link, don't click on it. These links will send you to a website that is identical to HMRC's. However, when you enter your details, you'll be handing them straight over to the criminals. These links can also contain vicious malware or viruses that can harvest or destroy your data.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from HMRC and you aren't sure if it's genuine, hang up. Even if the caller ID showed up as HMRC or the number looks like theirs, doesn't mean it is genuinely them. Criminals can spoof phone numbers to make their scams seem more believable. We advise you call HMRC back on a number from any correspondence you've received from them in the past.
If you have received a letter from HMRC that you suspect to be fraudulent, you need to make sure you report it. Failure to report these scams can result in criminals continuing to harass you.
If you're unsure about whether the call, text, or email you have received is a scam, we suggest you check out the HMRC website where they post a list of genuine topics, they will contact you for.
Finally, the Government website states that HMRC will never ask for personal information over text.
Remember, HMRC will sometimes reach out to the customers via call, email, text, or letter. However, they will ALWAYS include your taxpayer’s reference. Though it might be tempting to completely ignore them if you suspect it is a scam, we also advise calling them directly to find out if criminals are targeting you, or if they are genuinely trying to contact you.
Always call using a number that you have used to speak to them in the past. You can find this number on any past correspondence such as letters you have received from them or visit a respected website such as gov.co.uk. Visit the government website by searching it yourself (and not using a link someone has sent you).
What should I do if I’m the victim of HMRC scams?
If you think you are the victim of HMRC scams, you need to act immediately and do the following:
If you believe you have fallen for one of these scams and handed your bank details over, call your bank immediately. However, you need to ensure you are disconnected from the cold caller. We advise you to leave 5 minutes between hanging up and calling your bank, this way it ensures there isn't someone else on the other line.
Once you've explained the situation to your bank, they should be able to put a block on any money coming out. If money has already been taken, they can talk you through the procedure of trying to get it back.
Contact Action Fraud. You should do this even if you haven't fallen for the scam. Action Fraud will investigate these scams and be able to share details with others of scam calls, texts, and emails going around. This can help to inform those who are more vulnerable and prevent them from falling victim to this.
You can also forward any suspicious text messages to 60599 (text messages will be charged at your network rates).
You can forward any suspicious emails that are using HRMC scams to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk