News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 14 September 2011
Reports of
fraudulent “phishing” emails have risen by 300 per cent over the
past year, HM Revenue & Customs has confirmed.
It is essential that anyone receiving an email claiming to be
from HMRC telling the taxpayer that they are due a tax repayment
does not follow the email’s instructions.
The emails provide a “click-through link” to a cloned replica of
the HMRC website. The recipient is then asked to provide their
credit or debit card details. Providing the information asked for
enables criminals to steal the account.
Victims risk not only having their bank accounts emptied but also
their personal details being sold on to other organised criminal gangs.
Almost 24,000 such emails were reported to HMRC in August alone –
an increase of nearly 300 per cent compared to the same month last year.
HMRC is currently helping to shut down around 100 scam websites a
month.
Joan Wood, Director of HMRC Online and Digital, said:
“We only ever contact customers who are due a tax refund in
writing by post. We currently don’t use telephone calls, emails or
external companies in these circumstances. If anyone receives an
email claiming to be from HMRC, please send it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
before deleting it permanently.
“The increase in reports is partly due to improved awareness
of this scam. However, I have no doubt that more of these
“phishing” emails are in general circulation than ever before.
“HMRC will do everything possible to ensure those receiving this
email know what steps to take to protect their information, and we
are working closely with other law enforcement agencies to target
the criminals behind this serious crime and see them brought to justice.”
Details HMRC thoroughly investigates phishing
attacks and works with other law enforcement agencies in the UK
and overseas. In the last two years, scam networks have been shut
down in a number of countries, including Austria, Mexico, the UK,
South Korea, the USA, Thailand and Japan.
HMRC strongly advises customers to:
* Check the advice published at www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/index.htm
to see if the email you have received is listed
* Forward
suspicious emails 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 with HMRC at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/fraud-attempts.htm
Notes for editors 1. The scam email often
begins with a sentence such as “we have reviewed your tax return
and our calculations of your last years accounts a tax refund of
XXXX is due.”
2. Legitimate tax rebate forms (P800s) from
HMRC will contain a payment order and will never ask for credit or
debit card details.
3. The current increase in scam emails is
partly due to people following HMRC advice and forwarding them to
the department’s on line reporting facility.
4. In September
2009, a record 83,000 phishing attempts were reported to HMRC. The
following month, an unprecedented 10,000 reports of phishing scams
were made to HMRC on one day alone.
5. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk.
NAT 74/11
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Press
enquiries only please contact:
Contacts:
HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
HMRC-Press-office.NDSmanagement@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
Sara Pont
Phone: 020 7147 0394
sara.pont@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
Jonathan Hall
Phone: 020 7147 0052
jonathan.hall@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
HMRC Out of Hours
Phone: 07860 359544
NDS.HMRC@coi.gsi.gov.uk