{"id":6108,"date":"2024-12-10T11:20:18","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T11:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/?p=6108"},"modified":"2024-12-10T11:20:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T11:20:20","slug":"are-you-prepared-to-spot-scams-this-self-assessment-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/are-you-prepared-to-spot-scams-this-self-assessment-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you prepared to spot scams this Self-Assessment season?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are getting ever closer to 31 January 2025 and the Self-Assessment tax return deadline, so businesses and individuals are being urged to stay vigilant against a surge in tax-related scams.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has reported a rise in fraudulent activity over the past year, with 144,298 scam reports received between November 2023 and October 2024, a 16.7 per cent increase compared to the previous year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These scams often involve fraudsters impersonating HMRC to trick taxpayers into sharing personal or financial information.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Common tactics include fake offers of tax refunds, demands for immediate payment, or voicemails threatening legal action or arrest.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With so many people due to file their returns and settle outstanding tax, this is prime time for scammers to exploit.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to spot a tax scam<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Unusual communication methods<\/span><\/b> \u2013 HMRC will never ask for personal or banking information via text message or email. Nor will they leave threatening voicemails or demand immediate payment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      \n
    • Suspicious links or attachments<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Be wary of links claiming to lead to tax rebates or forms requesting sensitive details.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
        \n
      • Pressure tactics<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Fraudsters often create a sense of urgency to scare victims into action. HMRC will never pressure you into paying immediately or sharing private information.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        How to protect yourself<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
          \n
        • Verify directly with HMRC<\/span><\/b> \u2013 If you are unsure about a communication, contact HMRC directly using the details on their official website.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n
          • Use secure software<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Ensure your devices and financial records are protected with up-to-date security software.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
              \n
            • Seek professional advice<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Our team can help you manage your tax return safely and identify legitimate communications.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Don’t take the bait<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

              Falling victim to a scam can lead to serious financial and personal repercussions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              With the rise in fraudulent activity, it is more important than ever to double-check and stay cautious.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              If you are unsure about a communication or need support with your Self-Assessment, we are here to help. Contact us today.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              We are getting ever closer to 31 January 2025 and the Self-Assessment tax return deadline, so businesses and individuals are being urged to stay vigilant against a surge in tax-related scams.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6111,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,125,28,68,75],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6108"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6108"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6109,"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6108\/revisions\/6109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bainesjewitt.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}