HMRC warns of online tax rebate phishing scam

HMRC warns of online tax rebate phishing scam

14:45 PM, 4th February 2011, About 14 years ago

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Taxpayers should not respond to bogus emails from fraudsters offering  tax rebates on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs.

HMRC has revealed crime gangs have sent out millions of fake ‘phishing’ emails following the January 31 tax return filing deadline.

The email claims a tax rebate is due and provides a link to a sham HMRC web site. The recipient is asked to provide credit card details so the taxman can pay the rebate electronically.

Fraudsters then try to take money from the account using the details. Victims risk having their bank accounts emptied and their personal details sold on to other fraudsters.

In the last three months, HMRC has shut down 99 websites that were responsible for sending out the fake tax rebate emails.

100 bogus tax web sites shut down

Chris Hopson, Director of Customer Contact at HMRC, said: “As a matter of policy, HMRC will only ever contact customers who are due a tax refund in writing by post. If anyone receives an email offering a tax rebate claiming to be from HMRC, we recommend they send it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk before deletion.”

HMRC thoroughly investigates phishing attacks and works with police in the UK and overseas to track down the scammers.

In the last 18 months, fraud networks have been shut down in Austria, Mexico, the UK, South Korea, the USA, Thailand and Japan.

HMRC strongly advises taxpayers to:

  • Check the advice published at www.hmrc.gov.uk/security to see if the email you have received is listed;
  • Forward suspicious emails to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete it from your computer/mail account;
  • Do not click on websites, links contained in suspicious emails or open attachments;
  • Follow advice from www.getsafeonline.co.uk.

If you have suspect you are the victim of an email scam, contact your bank or credit card lender as soon as possible.


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