HMRC issues urgent scam warning to anyone filling out tax returns as deadline looms

Fraudsters are targeting radical with bogus offers of taxation refunds oregon demanding payments to get clasp of idiosyncratic accusation and banking details, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) warned

People filling retired their taxation returns person been issued with a scam informing by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Britons are being cautioned against con artists trying to bargain idiosyncratic accusation and slope details with fake taxation refund offers oregon by demanding payments. With January 31, 2025, arsenic the owed day for millions to record their taxation returns and settee owed taxes, HMRC said that fractional of the past year's scam reports entailed phony taxation rebate claims.

In addition, there's been a 16.7% emergence successful scam referrals to HMRC. Between November 2023 and October 2024, determination were 144,298 scam reports up from 123,596 successful the preceding 12-month stretch. HMRC stresses that it ne'er leaves voicemails threatening ineligible enactment oregon apprehension nor solicits idiosyncratic oregon fiscal accusation via substance message.

They counsel taxpayers to consult gov.uk for guidance if contacted by anyone purporting to beryllium HMRC and seeking idiosyncratic information oregon offering a refund. Kelly Paterson, HMRC's main information officer, stated: "With millions of radical filing their self-assessment instrumentality earlier January’s deadline, we’re informing everyone to beryllium wary of emails promising taxation refunds.

'Being vigilant helps you spot imaginable scams. And reporting thing suspicious helps america halt transgression enactment and to support you and others who could person received akin bogus communication. Our proposal remains unchanged. Don’t unreserved into anything, instrumentality your clip and cheque ‘HMRC scams advice’ connected gov.uk."

Anyone who is owed a refund from HMRC tin assertion it via their online HMRC relationship oregon the escaped and unafraid HMRC app. Phishing attempts tin beryllium reported to HMRC by forwarding emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, reporting taxation scam telephone calls to HMRC connected gov.uk and forwarding fishy texts claiming to beryllium from HMRC to 60599.