MSE News: Beware fake HMRC tax refund emails

poppasmurf_bewdley

Fluffpuff wrote: »

As you can see in my post it says doesn't match up to any number on the website. I typed the number into google before posting on here and HMRC did not come up in the google list. On the HMRC website you are right -
0191 225 6677 is a fax number. However I was looking for the number 0191 225 3498. Can you find this one? Because neither can I.

Wrong side of bed or just having a bad day?

If you look at the page I indicated, it gives a Tab for "All HMRC Contacts". All you have to do is go through each one until you find the number you want. There can only be several hundred pages to look through.

Google has found the number you gave and it's saying where it is. You just have to look hard enough.

Or you could just ring the number given on the first page of the website, and ask them if the letter is genuine. 08457 143 143

gb12345

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Google has found the number you gave and it's saying where it is. You just have to look hard enough.

Google has actually returned that page based on a match of the first 7 digits of the phone number, not an exact match on the whole number.

Fluffpuff

gb12345 wrote: »

Google has actually returned that page based on a match of the first 7 digits of the phone number, not an exact match on the whole number.

Thank you

Cmdr_Bond

Just had one of these emails - knew it was instantly dodgy, but this was confirmed by following the link on a sandboxed browser.

The email I received:

from: HM Revenue & Customs <news.noreply@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk>
to:
date: 14 March 2013 14:39
subject: Just in time...

Tax Refund Notification
Msg-Ref: HMRC/G018/213/R87


Claim your back dated tax refund for the dates 2011-2012.
Please click here, complete the form correctly and return it as soon as possible.
Failure to do so will result in you loosing this claim and other future claims.


Sincerely,
HM Revenue & Customs.
London , HA7 2LD
All rights reserved

I will not post a clickable link for obvious reasons, but it takes you to:

p i n k i e - e g . c o m / H M R C - C l a i m _ F o r m . h t m l


Not only is the URL dodgy, but so is the list of fields that need to be filled in, as these would never be all together.

They want (this is exactly how it is on the website, note the spelling and grammatical errors)

CardHolder Name (No space)
Date of Birth
Mother Maiden Name (Should be Mother's)
Address
Town/City
Province/Region (Should really just be County for the UK)
Postal Code
Phone Number
Refund Amount (Already filled in to the tune of £305.56)
Email

Bank Name
Account Number
Sort Code
Debit / Credit Card Number
Expiration Date
Card Verification Number
Verified By Visa/MasterCard Secure Code <- This is the most worrying. VBV or MCSC ALWAYS redirect you to a secure link for this information. Also they only ask you for 3 specific characters from your password, never the entire password.

I hope this is helpful to anyone who is unsure.

Already flagged as phising in gmail, off to email HMRC now.

iamthrifty,you_are_mean

i just received one of these, offering £433 - inflation?

Mercurial

I just got one of these today also for 433 pounds.

Patjan

"We've been informed of a spate of fake emails, known as phishing emails, claiming to be from HM Revenue and Customs and promising a tax rebate of £244.79 if you click through the link provided".

Just in case you think the refund is always £244.79, as the link above seems to suggest, the rebate figure could be any sum. I get regular "HMRC" rebate emails with figures such as £512.89, £379.23, etc. Remember: the government is in the business of taking money, not giving it back.......!

The usual advice is the best - DELETE them without opening first.