Tax Factor
01 October 2010
Beware fake ‘HMRC’ emails
With the recent news that many thousands of taxpayers are likely to have either overpaid tax or are due to pay more as a result of PAYE coding errors, we can expect to see a proliferation of scam emails purporting to be from HMRC. But how do you spot a fake?
I have received an email from HMRC saying I am due a refund and asking for my bank details. How do I know whether it is genuine?
It isn't. HMRC do not advise taxpayers of refunds by email or use emails to ask for repayment claims to be submitted. Although, for your security, HMRC prefer to make refunds directly to a bank account rather than send a cheque through the post, they would never ask you for bank account details in this way.
If bank account details are required they would usually be requested in writing or possibly in a telephone call. (Even then, if you are in any doubt that a caller is from HMRC, either take their number and check this out before you call back or decline to give your details over the phone and ask for a written request to be sent out).
But it looks official - it even has the usual HMRC logos.
Maybe, but these things are easy enough to replicate. You should read the wording very carefully. Some of these scams contain phrases such as ‘we have reviewed the annual calculations of your fiscal activity', which is not terminology HMRC would ever use. Would HMRC state that you were ‘due a refund of GBP100'? Wouldn't they say ‘£100'? And watch for spelling errors such as ‘commuinication' instead of ‘communication'. All these are clear indications that the email is a fake.
Do HMRC use other agencies to collect tax or deal with refunds?
No, emails alleging to be from ‘All Tax Credit UK' or ‘Her Majestys Customs and Revenue Commission' are nothing to do with HMRC and should be ignored, as should any emails asking you for personal information.
What if I receive an email asking for my details in connection with on-line filing? I don't want to be late submitting my self assessment tax return.
Once again, HMRC will not ask you for personal details by email and if you file on-line you must not divulge your user ID and password to anyone. One known such fraudulent email comes from ‘securemail@hmrc.gov.uk' but there may be others. Another scam email is headed ‘Notice of Underreported Income'. There is even an email in circulation purporting to be from HMRC asking for your bank details because ‘you are a winner of 168,240GBP' and another asking for personal details so that you can be compensated for losses incurred as a result of a previous fraud!
What should I do with these emails?
All these emails are sent out by fraudsters trying to obtain your personal information and/or bank details. Do not open any link to a website that is shown with the email or reply to it in any way.
Instead you should forward it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk as this will assist HMRC to identify new scams and warn other potential victims. Or you can forward the email to your usual Wilkins Kennedy contact to forward it on to HMRC for you as well as providing you with reassurance that it is not from HMRC and that you do not need to respond.
