In the 12 months to 30 April 2021, HMRC responded to more than 1,154,300 referrals of suspicious contact from the public. More than 576,960 of these offered bogus tax rebates.

Readers with children at university should pass on this message as students starting university this year are being warned by HMRC that they could be targeted by a fresh wave of tax scams.

New defensive controls recently deployed by HMRC have put an end to fraudsters spoofing the tax authority’s most recognisable helpline numbers.

Fraudsters will disguise themselves as HMRC and other government departments/professional bodies to:
•    Obtain personal details which they will sell or use for identity theft,
•    Coax victims into handing over money,
•    Use victims’ details to steal money from their accounts. 
 

Fraudsters will disguise themselves as HMRC and other government departments/professional bodies to:
•    Obtain personal details which they will sell or use for identity theft,
•    Coax victims into handing over money,
•    Use victims’ details to steal money from their accounts. 
 

Fraudsters are using sophisticated invoice scams to trick businesses into paying money into bogus accounts.