A Warning from Mr P!
There are some horrible unscrupulous people out there and now they are trying to swindle money out of you by pretending to be the Tax Man!
HMRC is warning of a significant rise in email scams that offer a tax refund. These emails are designed to throw recipients off their guard by warning that the refunds are subject to a deadline which expires in the near future.
Some emails direct you to a website that looks just like HMRC's official one. Others invite you to either complete an online application or to download, complete, sign and then fax it to the number given. Both versions request your full bank or credit card details.
An alternative scam asks you to call a number to check your eligibility to the refund. Callers will hear a dialing tone but while waiting for an answer they will be charged £6 a minute!
HMRC has not yet adopted email as a way of communicating with the public, so treat any email offering you a tax refund as suspicious and report it to HMRC.
We have seen a significant number of our clients receiving these emails. They look very realistic and even a person who is as savvy as a purple envelope could be fooled by them.
As a general rule, if you are even slightly concerned that an email may be malicious, don't open any files attached to it, click on any links it contains, or telephone any numbers given within it.
HMRC is warning of a significant rise in email scams that offer a tax refund. These emails are designed to throw recipients off their guard by warning that the refunds are subject to a deadline which expires in the near future.
Some emails direct you to a website that looks just like HMRC's official one. Others invite you to either complete an online application or to download, complete, sign and then fax it to the number given. Both versions request your full bank or credit card details.
An alternative scam asks you to call a number to check your eligibility to the refund. Callers will hear a dialing tone but while waiting for an answer they will be charged £6 a minute!
HMRC has not yet adopted email as a way of communicating with the public, so treat any email offering you a tax refund as suspicious and report it to HMRC.
We have seen a significant number of our clients receiving these emails. They look very realistic and even a person who is as savvy as a purple envelope could be fooled by them.
As a general rule, if you are even slightly concerned that an email may be malicious, don't open any files attached to it, click on any links it contains, or telephone any numbers given within it.
Phew, I'm glad I've told you all that, now spread the word. It's hard enough handing money over to the real Tax Man, let alone a fake one!
Love,
Mr P
xxx
