Tax rebate notification....or not!

dont_use_vistaprint

Obviously no one here would fall for a scam but if you have elderly friends or relatives who may be vulnerable to phishing and who file self assessment please warn them that the vultures are out, with very well designed HMRC email templates! At first glance it looks good, a few hover-overs of emails and links gives it away.

Around year end some end people are much more vulnerable to this type of scam informing them a rebate is due and asking them to click the link to and login to Gateway as they are half expecting one.

agrinnall

If HMRC did indeed use email to advise that a rebate is available (which I doubt) then the correct course of action would be to log on to the Gateway but obviously not using the link in the email - it's basic security that by now everyone should be aware of but sadly they aren't.

01afraser4

agrinnall wrote: »

If HMRC did indeed use email to advise that a rebate is available (which I doubt) then the correct course of action would be to log on to the Gateway but obviously not using the link in the email - it's basic security that by now everyone should be aware of but sadly they aren't.

You are correct. For the avoidance of doubt:

"You’ll never get an email, text message or phone call from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) which:

• tells you about a tax rebate or penalty
• asks for your personal or payment information"

The following link gives additional information and guidance on how to report suspicious emails, texts or phone calls.

https://www.gov.uk/report-suspicious-emails-websites-phishing/report-hmrc-phishing-emails-texts-and-phone-call-scams