HMRC Scams - Trading Standards

12th July 2024

HMRC is warning customers to be wary of scam emails, texts and phone calls in the run up to the Self Assessment deadline on 31 July.

HMRC received over 202,000 reports of suspicious messages about tax last year, of which over 74,000 were offering bogus tax rebates.

Some of the most common scam messages:

offer a tax rebate

ask you to click on a link to update your records, saying that they're out of date

claim that your National Insurance number has been used fraudulently

threaten immediate arrest for tax evasion

Scammers have also recently set up fake accounts impersonating HMRC and their customer service advisers on X (formerly Twitter). Some of the scam accounts are offering tax rebates while others ask customers to provide their personal and bank details.

HMRC's only accounts on X are:
@HMRCgovuk
@HMRCcustomers
@HMRCpressoffice

How to Avoid
HMRC also advise that you should be suspicious if you receive an unexpected phone call, text or email purportedly from them asking for money or offering financial help.

They will not email, text or phone to tell you that you are due a refund or ask you to request a refund. Customers receive repayments into their chosen bank account, and can see any transactions in their online HMRC account and in the HMRC app.

You should not click on links, provide any details or make any payments to a cold caller.

HMRC will never use social media to offer a tax rebate or to request personal or financial information.

If you are unsure if a message from HMRC is genuine, check their website (www.gov.uk/government/collections/check-a-list-of-genuine-hmrc-contacts) before clicking on any links or providing any details.

Links in any genuine letters or emails from them will lead to the www.gov.uk website. If a link includes the word 'gov' but ends in .co.uk it is likely to be fake.

Forward details of suspicious emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, forward suspicious text messages to 60599 or report suspicious phone calls online: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/reporting-fraudulent-emails

Find out more
Identify HMRC scams: www.gov.uk/guidance/identify-hmrc-related-scam-phone-calls-emails-and-text-messages

ScamShare Spotlight PDF on HMRC scams: www.tsscot.co.uk/scamshare
Guidance on Self Assessment: www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-return-forms