Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer when you visit a website. They are mainly used as a way of improving the website functionalities or to provide more advanced statistical data.
Scammers target self-employed with fake tax refund promise
Newsletter issue – March 2024
A surge of bogus tax refund phishing scams is feared by HMRC officials.
The Government body has warned self-employed people to watch out for fraudsters who are likely to want to target the 11.5 million or so who have just recently sent in their Self-Assessment tax returns.
Scammers will attempt to dupe people about tax rebates by email, phone or texts that mimic government messages to make them appear authentic.
Designed to use personal details for selling on to criminals, or to access people's bank accounts, these attempts to lure in the self-employed have been witnessed in large numbers in the last year or so, judging by HMRC's latest announcement.
Officials said they had replied to 207,800 referrals from the public of suspicious contact in the past year to January - up 14% from the 181,873 reported for the previous 12 months. More than 79,000 of those referrals offered bogus tax rebates.
HMRC said it also reported 26,443 malicious web pages to internet service providers to be taken down in the year up to January 2024. These sites aim to deceive taxpayers and steal personal information or money. This was a 29% increase from the 20,385 referred by HMRC for removal the previous year, officials said.
Kelly Paterson, HMRC's Chief Security Officer, said: 'With the deadline for tax returns behind us, criminals will now try to trick people with fake offers of tax rebates. Don't rush into anything, take your time and check HMRC scams advice on GOV.UK.'
The main advice from HMRC to point out here is that it would not send an email, text or make phone calls to you to say you are due a refund or indeed to ask you to request a refund.
Received anything suspicious as described in this news item? You can forward emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk or texts to 60599.
What our clients say about us...
"Paul has provided accountancy services to my company for 2 years now. I can recommend Paul very highly; his skills as an accountant are highly detailed and professional and he is always available to provide advice. One aspect of the way Paul works that I greatly appreciate is a preference to meet face to face when there is a detailed conversation to be had. I personally find this more productive and is a benefit of working with a small accountancy firm that you wouldn't get with the large faceless providers."
ALISTAIR FAIRWEATHER - PROGRAMME & PROJECT MANAGER, DELIVERING/RESCUING I.T. 7 BUSINESS CHANGE WITH BUDGETS UPTO £50M INC SUPPIER MANAGEMENT
"I couldn't ask for more from Paul as an Accountant. Paul has been accountant to Work Relief Charity Recruitment for just over a year now and is proving an invaluable asset. Accurate, knowledgeable, flexible with an emphasis on service delivery, I would recommend Paul's services to any organisation looking for an accounts professional."
Neil Price - Managing Director at Work Relief Charity Recruitment
"Paul was a referral from a family member when I started my business 2 years ago. As this was the first time I had ever run my own company I was totally clueless over the financial side of matters and was worried that I may have made mistakes in any of my accounting. I needn't have worried as after enaging Paul for a set monthly fee he was always there on the end of the phone for all sorts of questions I had and no matter how trivial they were Paul gave me all the information I required and more and did an excellent and painless job at the end of my first year! Couldn't ask for any better to be honest. Just two words - hire him!!!"
Lee Westrap MBCS - Director - Bulldog IT Services
Please complete our form
to request a callback
Competitive fixed quotes
for agreed services
Increase your profit and
reduce tax liabilities
Expert advice for your
business size
