{"id":6088,"date":"2024-11-27T10:37:15","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T10:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/?p=6088"},"modified":"2024-11-27T10:37:16","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T10:37:16","slug":"how-to-stay-secure-ahead-of-the-self-assessment-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-stay-secure-ahead-of-the-self-assessment-deadline\/","title":{"rendered":"How to stay secure ahead of the Self-Assessment deadline\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the 31 January Self-Assessment tax return deadline approaches, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued a stark warning about an increase in scams.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fraudsters are targeting taxpayers with fake tax rebate offers and demands for payment, all designed to steal personal and financial information.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past year, HMRC received nearly 150,000 scam referrals, with fake tax rebate claims making up half of these reports.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some common tax scams to watch out for:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fake tax refund offers<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Emails, texts, or calls claiming you are owed a refund and asking for personal details are fraudulent.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

HMRC will never notify you of a refund via these channels. Legitimate refunds must be claimed through your HMRC online account or app.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Threatening messages<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fraudsters often use scare tactics, such as voicemails threatening legal action or arrest for unpaid tax.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

HMRC has confirmed it will never contact you in this way.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Requests for personal or banking information<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Any unsolicited communication asking for sensitive information, particularly banking details, should be treated as suspicious.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to stay secure<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n