Taxpayers get warning of scam e-mails

Taxpayers are warned to be vigilant against fraudulent e-mails advising them of a tax refund they are due to receive...

axpayers were warned yesterday to be vigilant against fraudulent e-mails advising them of a tax refund they are due to receive.

HMRC believe about 20,000 scam tax e-mails have been sent over the past week as fraudsters try to cash in on taxpayers’ distraction with tax in the run-up to the self-assessment deadline.

The e-mails advise people of a tax rebate due to them and request that they fill in a form online giving their bank account or credit card details so the overpaid tax can be paid to them.

The hoaxers then use that information, given quite willingly by some non-cautious taxpayers, to empty the victims’ bank accounts or max out their credit limits before passing their details on to other criminal gangs.

HMRC has warned all taxpayers not to respond to the e-mails. They have also stressed that any communication from them regarding tax refunds is performed ONLY by post.

HMRC are expecting there to be a “massive upsurge” in the number of ‘phishing’ e-mails after yesterday’s self-assessment deadline as taxpayers wait to hear about genuine refunds.

A spokesman for HMRC said:-

“We never use e-mails, telephone calls or external companies in these circumstances. We strongly urge anyone receiving such an e-mail to send it to us for investigation.”

In 2009, HMRC worked alongside law enforcement agencies to shut down scan networks in countries such as Austria, Mexico, Korea, Thailand, the US and Japan, as well as in the UK.

By midnight on Saturday night (30th January) a staggering 6.2 million people had filed their tax return online. This was up on the total of 5.8 million who did so last year.

HMRC expected an additional 186,000 taxpayers to file their return yesterday in order to meet the deadline and avoid the £100 late payment charge.

If taxpayers don’t submit their tax return by July 31st there will be an additional £100 charge.

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