Self Assessment customers who are starting to think about their annual tax returns for the 2021-22 tax year should guard against being targeted by fraudsters, warns His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
In the 12 months to August 2022, HMRC responded to more than 180,000 referrals of suspicious contact from the public, of which almost 81,000 were scams offering fake tax rebates.
Criminals claiming to be from HMRC have targeted individuals by email, text and phone with their communications ranging from offering bogus tax rebates to threatening arrest for tax evasion. Contacts like these should sound alarm bells – HMRC would never call threatening arrest.
Anyone contacted by someone claiming to be from HMRC in a way that arouses suspicion is advised to take their time and check the scams advice on GOV.UK.
Customers can report any suspicious activity to HMRC. They can forward suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599 and emails to [email protected]. Any tax scam phone calls can be reported to HMRC using the online form on GOV.UK.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:
“Never let yourself be rushed. If someone contacts you saying they’re from HMRC, wanting you to urgently transfer money or give personal information, be on your guard.
“HMRC will never ring up the threatening arrest. Only criminals do that.
Article continues below this advertisement “Tax scams come in many forms. Some threaten immediate arrest for tax evasion, others offer a rebate. Contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check ‘HMRC scams advice’ on GOV.UK.”
Fraudsters target customers when they know they are more likely to be in contact with HMRC, which is why Self Assessment customers should be extra vigilant to this activity. There is a risk they could be taken in by scam texts, emails or calls either offering a ‘refund’ or demanding unpaid tax, thinking that they are genuine HMRC communications referring to their Self Assessment return.
Some customers who have not done a Self Assessment return previously might be tricked into clicking on links in these emails or texts and revealing personal or financial information to criminals.
The deadline for filing paper tax returns for the 2021 to 2022 tax year is 31st October 2022, and 31st January 2023 for those filing their tax return online.
HMRC is actively tackling the scams and fraudsters who attempt to mimic genuine HMRC activity and messages. The department’s dedicated Customer Protection Team works continuously to identify and close down scams.
The safest move here would be to offer to ring the caller back.
if they answer within an hour then you know it’s not HMRC
They will give any excuse why you can’t ring them back. They use spoofed numbers.
Tell them to @$%^&~# off or play with them and have fun wasting their time, at least they are then not scamming a real victim.
HMRC never phone, it’s always by post .
Might take a while ,what with the overpaid postie’s going on strike.
Yeah like tax wizard scammers taking over 80% and setting you up on a different tax .
Did it to alot of people at the breeze scammed there own staff out of £1000s