Criminal gangs are
targeting taxpayers with thousands of scam emails offering bogus
tax refunds. The online attacks, known as ‘phishing’, have peaked
during July leading to increased reports of fraud to HM Revenue
& Customs (HMRC).
The scams tell the recipient they are due a tax refund and ask
for bank or credit card details so that the fictitious tax refund
can be paid out. HMRC is warning customers about the possible
dangers of falling for this scam during this phase of increased
attacks on UK residents.
All customers who provide their details to the fraudsters run a
real risk of their accounts being emptied and credit cards used to
their limit. The victim also risks having their personal details
sold on to other organised criminal gangs.
Lesley Strathie, HMRC Chief Executive said:
“We only ever contact customers who are due a refund in writing
by post. We never use emails, telephone calls or external
companies in these circumstances. I would strongly encourage
anyone receiving such an email to immediately send it to us for
investigation and delete it from their computer.”
HMRC is taking action to disrupt these attacks and through
co-operation with other law enforcement agencies in the UK and
overseas a number of scam networks have been shut down – most
recently in July in Korea, Thailand, UK and USA.
HMRC strongly advises:
* Check the advice published to
hmrc.gov.uk/security/index.htm to see if the email you have
received is listed.
* Forward suspicious email to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
and then delete it from your computer / mail account.
Do not
click on websites links contained in suspicious emails or open
attachments.
* Follow advice from www.getsafeonline.co.uk.
If you have reason to believe that you have been the victim of an
email scam, report the matter to your bank/card issuer as soon as possible.
If in doubt, please check it out with HMRC at
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/fraud-attempts.htm
Notes to Editors
1. The scam email often begins with a sentence such as ‘Following
a review of your fiscal activity you are due a refund of tax of
£XXX.’
2. HMRC previously warned the public about phishing
attacks in January 2009 during the run-up to the deadline for
online self-assessment tax returns.
3. The current increase
in scam emails is partly due to people following HMRC advice and
forwarding them to the department’s security and fraud
team.
4. In the last 12 months HMRC has received over 15,000
reports of fraudulent repayment emails.
5. Do not visit the
website contained within the email or disclose any personal or
payment information.
Email addresses used to distribute the tax rebate emails include:
* refundtax@hmrc.gov.co.uk
* TaxRefund@hmrc.gov.uk
* service@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
* claims@hmrc.direct.gov.uk
* notice@hmrc.gov.uk
* hmrc@hmrc.gov.uk
* admin@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
* info@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
* no-reply@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
HMRC does not send out emails using these email addresses.
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Press
enquiries only please contact:
Contacts:
Mike Burrell
Phone: 020 7147 0052
mike.burrell@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
HMRC Out of Hours
Phone: 07860 359544
NDS.HMRC@coi.gsi.gov.uk