HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned the public about safeguarding their money, as funds could potentially be withdrawn from their accounts. The tax authority has confirmed it is aware of a number of scams currently circulating, set up by fraudsters attempting to obtain personal and financial details.
Automated phone call scam
One such fraud involves an automated telephone call which "will tell you HMRC is filing a lawsuit against you, and to press 1 to speak to a caseworker to make a payment". HMRC stresses this is definitely a scam, and that anyone receiving such a call should hang up straight away.
Other fraudulent calls may mention National Insurance number fraud or promise a tax refund while requesting your bank or credit card details. If you're unable to confirm a caller's identity, HMRC advises against engaging with them.
WhatsApp and social media scams
Should you have subscribed to the UK government channel on WhatsApp, you'll receive updates which might include occasional tax-related reminders. These will be single message alerts which you cannot respond to, and HMRC has stated it will not contact people via WhatsApp for any other purpose.
Scams also exist on social media. A recent fraud was spotted on X (formerly Twitter) promising a tax refund. These messages are not from legitimate HMRC social media accounts and are a scam. HMRC has confirmed it will never use social media to request personal or financial details, or to offer a tax rebate.
If you are unable to verify the identity of a social media account, you should forward the details via email to branddefence@hmrc.gov.uk and disregard it.
QR codes and email safety
The organisation has also explained how it uses QR codes in correspondence, explaining: "The QR code will usually take you to guidance on GOV.UK. We will tell you if the QR code takes you anywhere else. You will never be taken to a page where you have to input personal information."
Any suspicious emails containing QR codes should be forwarded to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk before being deleted. HMRC will exclusively contact you regarding a tax rebate or request personal or payment information from an email address ending in hmrc.gov.uk.
Should fraudsters gain access to your information they may be able to withdraw money from your bank account. If you've been a victim of a scam and suffered financial loss, report it to Report Fraud here.
