HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued an urgent warning to the public about a new scam text message that fraudulently claims recipients are owed a tax refund of £276.74 from the 2020 and 2021 tax years. The scam, highlighted by the Fraud Advisory Panel, involves criminals posing as HMRC officials to trick individuals into clicking a link that leads to a fake portal designed to steal sensitive information, including Government Gateway login details.
The Fraud Advisory Panel took to social media platform X to advise: "Did you just get a suspicious text or email from HMRC? STOP! Don't click any links; instead, use a trusted URL to log into your gov gateway." The warning comes as the deadline for self-assessment tax returns approaches on January 31, a period when scammers often target taxpayers with fraudulent messages.
While HMRC does send legitimate text messages containing links to information pages and webchats, the official GOV.UK website confirms that the department will never ask for personal or financial details via text. HMRC advises: "We advise you not to open any links or reply to a text message claiming to be from HMRC that offers you a tax refund in exchange for personal or financial details."
Anyone who receives a suspicious message should report it by forwarding the text to 60599 or by emailing phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. The public is urged to remain vigilant and avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited communications purporting to be from HMRC.
