Tax refund email & should i get a tax code letter from HMRC??

Nine_Lives

2 questions:

1) The wife has received a letter over a month ago saying what her 2013/14 tax code will be. I haven't. Some co-workers have received one.
Should i be getting a letter or not?

2) I got an email to my junk email box saying....

TAX RETURN FOR THE YEAR 2013
RECALCULATION OF YOUR TAX REFUND
HMRC 2012-2013
LOCAL OFFICE No. 3819
TAX CREDIT OFFICER: NEIL ROBINSON
TAX REFUND ID NUMBER: XXXXXXXXX
REFUND AMOUNT: 344.79


Dear Applicant, (I don't ever remember applying??)

The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential and as
applicable, copyright in these is reserved to HM Revenue & Customs.
Unless expressly authorised by us, any further dissemination or
distribution of this email or its attachments is prohibited.

If you are not the intended recipient of this email, please reply to
inform us that you have received this email in error and then delete it
without retaining any copy.

I am sending this email to announce: After the last annual calculation of
your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a
tax refund of 344.79

You have attached the tax return form with the TAX REFUND NUMBER ID: #########,
complete the tax return form attached to this message.

After completing the form, please submit the form by clicking the SUBMIT
button on form and allow us 5-9 business days in order to process it.

Our head office address can be found on our web site at http://www.hmrc.co.uk/

Sincerely,
NEIL ROBINSON
HMRC Tax Credit Officer
[EMAIL="officer.robinsons@hmrc.co.uk"]officer.robinsons@hmrc.co.uk[/EMAIL]
Preston
PR1 0SB

Is this a scam or not?

TadleyBaggie

1) Yes
2) 100% scam. HRMC never communicate via e-mail.

McKneff

Scam every time, if you ever get anything like this again. Dont under any circs click on it and open it.

Nine_Lives

1) Well they best get a wiggle on & write to me then as we're nearly into the next year.
2) Thanks. I thought as much, but this one seemed pretty genuine so had me thinking for a second.

nomunnofun

Nine_Lives wrote: »

1) Well they best get a wiggle on & write to me then as we're nearly into the next year.
2) Thanks. I thought as much, but this one seemed pretty genuine so had me thinking for a second.

1) A tax credit officer would not be processing refunds.

2) https://www.hmrc.co.uk is an incorrect web address.

p00hsticks

I haven't had a tax code notification in years - my understanding has always been that you don't get one if you're on the standard allowance - just if there's some sort of difference from the norm (e.g. split over more than one job, adjustment for benefits in kind, under or overpaid tax from previous years, uniform cleaning etc).

System

TadleyBaggie wrote: »

1) HRMC never communicate via e-mail.

They do if you have opted for email notifications.

j-josie

You can forward such emails to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk for HMRC to investigate into the scammers.

aveylee

Scam as others have advised.
1) HMRC officers face dismissal for sending emails without the express permission of the customer.
2) HMRC email addresses come in the format : firstname.lastname@HMRC.gsi.gov.uk.
3) Tax returns are for tax years e.g 2012/2013 not as stated in the top line "...for the year 2013."
4) The tax year 2012/13 hasn't ended yet, so no refund could possibly be calculated.
5) The use of the title "Dear Applicant" is normally a big give away.
6) As Nomunnofum states tax credit officers do not process refunds, entirely the wrong department.
7) HMRC do not copyright letters sent to customers. In fact apart from Crown coats of arms, HMRC normally waives any copyright.
8) The phrase 'Fiscal activity' is not one employed by HMRC in letters to customers. They may write horribly worded letters but they at least give a nod towards using plain english.
9) Finally "allow 5 to 9 days". Get real this is the HMRC 5 to 9 months would be more like it, and that's being optimistic...

My advice don't click on any links in it; and if you have run an anti-virus scan on your PC in case any nasties have been downloaded

SeniorSam

Nine_Lives wrote: »

1) Well they best get a wiggle on & write to me then as we're nearly into the next year.
2) Thanks. I thought as much, but this one seemed pretty genuine so had me thinking for a second.

It should have shown warning bells ringing when the e-mail (I also got one) asked for credit card number, pin number and balance in your account. Hardly what anyone would expect to be genuine. I forwarded it to phishing.
Sam