Self-assessment customers on the Isle of Wight are being urged to be on the lookout for scam texts, emails, and phone calls from fraudsters.
This warning comes as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) received more than 130,000 reports about tax scams in the 12 months to September 2023, of which 58,000 were offering fake tax rebate
With around 12 million people expected to submit a self-assessment tax return for the 2022 to 2023 tax year before the 31 January 2024 deadline, fraudsters will prey on customers by impersonating HMRC.
The scams take different approaches. Some offer a rebate; others tell customers that they need to update their tax details or threaten immediate arrest for tax evasion.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:
“HMRC is reminding customers to be wary of approaches by fraudsters in the run-up to the Self Assessment deadline. Criminals are great pretenders who try and dupe people by sending emails, phone calls and texts which mimic government messages to make them appear authentic. Unexpected contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check HMRC scams advice on GOV.UK.”
Customers can report any suspicious communications to HMRC:
- Forward suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599
- Forward emails to [email protected].
- Report tax scam phone calls to HMRC on GOV.UK.
HMRC works to protect the public from scammers. In the 12 months to September 2023, HMRC has responded to 60,000 reports of phone scams alone and got 25,000 malicious web pages taken down.
Customers do not need to wait until 31 January before filing their tax return, they can submit it before then but do not have to pay until the deadline, unless they choose to. Filing earlier allows them to find out what they owe sooner or if they are owed money, get their refund.
Perhaps the biggest scammer of all is the HMRC screwing over hard working individuals and redistributing the cash to be spent on drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
A fool and his money is easily parted… There are a myriad of scam warnings in the media and from HMRC themselves.
Is the irony lost on people? The Tory cash-cow under the guise of tax is the biggest con of all. Taxed when you buy, taxed when you sell, taxed when you inherit, taxed when you work, taxed when you relax, taxed when you are cold, taxed when you are ill, taxed when you go out, taxed when you stay home, taxed when you marry, taxed when you die. They owe you money? You wait months, you owe them money? Threatening letters arrive in days. Britain has a reasonable economy but it’s the workers who pay. Corporations and big pharma and the treasury win, the rest of us pay. Of course none of this matters because they are good enough to let you know you might get scammed and you still get a bill if you are!