News

Alert on tax refund scam - 09/01/2009

Baines Jewitt are highlighting an HM Revenue & Customs warning over a scam involving bogus emails offering tax refunds.

There have been a number of recent reports of people receiving the emails, which appear to have been sent out by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

The emails invite recipients to click on a link to obtain a tax refund to which they are supposedly entitled and expose them to the risk of disclosing personal details to fraudsters.

HMRC says it would never inform customers of a tax rebate via email or invite them to complete an online form to receive a rebate of tax.

It advises anyone receiving such an email not to respond to the email, disclose any details or visit any website contained within it. Instead, the email should be forwarded to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk.

Further information on tax rebate fraud attempts and other scams, along with guidance on identifying bogus emails, is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/spoofs

For more information, call 01642 632032

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