HMRC tax refund scam (UK): كيف يعمل وعلامات التحذير وماذا تفعل

Identity theft · médio

Emails and texts say you have a tax refund and include a link to a fake site that collects personal and card details. HMRC, the UK tax authority, also describes automated calls claiming a lawsuit and asking you to "press 1" to pay, calls about National Insurance number fraud, refund offers via social media direct messages and fake parcel Customs Duty demands.

HMRC states it doesn't offer refunds or ask for personal or financial information through social media, won't take you via QR code to a page where you have to enter personal information, and uses WhatsApp only for one-way updates from the government channel that you cannot reply to.

Sinais / Signs

An unexpected text or email offering a tax refund
A link to a site asking for card details
An automated call about a lawsuit asking you to press 1
A refund offer via social media direct message
A QR code leading to a page asking for personal data
A sender outside the hmrc.gov.uk domain

Prevenção / Prevention

Don't click links or open attachments in refund messages
Access your account by typing the GOV.UK address
Hang up on automated calls threatening lawsuits
Be wary of firms charging to claim refunds: they aren't connected with HMRC
Don't speak to callers you can't verify

O que fazer / What to do

Forward emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599
Use HMRC's form to report suspicious calls
If you lost money, contact your bank and report via Report Fraud
Report fake social accounts to branddefence@hmrc.gov.uk

FAQ

Does HMRC send refunds by text?

Treat any refund text with a link as suspicious and forward it to 60599. Check your status on GOV.UK.

How do I know an email is really from HMRC?

Genuine emails come from addresses ending in hmrc.gov.uk, but senders can be spoofed; if in doubt, forward it to HMRC.

GOV.UK - Phishing emails and bogus contact: HM Revenue and Customs examples · GOV.UK - HMRC warns on tax refund scams