HMRC issues scam warning: how to spot a dodgy email or phone call

With another tax deadline looming, scammers are once again trying to trick victims by posing as HMRC.

We’ve previously reported on fraudsters imitating the tax agency, and it has now issued a warning about messages claiming that your details aren't up to date, a payment hasn’t gone through or that you will be arrested if you don’t pay a tax debt.

It has also warned of scammers claiming your national insurance number has been used in fraud, and messages offering phoney tax rebates or bogus grants or support. 

HMRC is currently sending out tax credits renewal packs ahead of the 31 July deadline. It says recipients who haven’t received their pack should wait until after 15 June before contacting HMRC. You can renew your tax credits for free online or via the HMRC app.

Read on to find out about some specific HMRC scams readers have recently reported to Which?. 

Outsmart the scammers – our free scam alert service can help you spot and avoid the latest scams

Unsolicited calls

Readers have reported several examples of automated calls purporting to be from HMRC. 

The first says that the tax agency will be taking legal action against you for not paying taxes and tells you to press 1 if you want to speak to an officer.

A second message says HMRC has sent you an important letter which has been returned and that you need to press 1 to speak to an agent urgently.

Finally, a third scam call says HMRC needs to access your account, and asks you to go through your security questions.

If you receive an automated call claiming to be from HMRC, hang up and report the call using these steps. 

Emails containing phishing links

The latest HMRC scam emails inform you that your profile or password is about to expire.

These messages are sent from Japanese email addresses and use HMRC branding to appear genuine. One states that you’ve only got 24 hours to complete the process in an attempt to rush you into taking action.

These emails include phishing links, which lead to malicious sites impersonating the tax office.

We shared these scams with HMRC. A spokesperson told us: ‘Criminals are great pretenders. They use emails, phone calls and texts to try and dupe citizens, and often mimic government messages to make them appear authentic.

'Unexpected contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check HMRC scams advice on gov.uk.'

How to report HMRC scams

Text messages: forward scam texts to HMRC on 60599 (network charges apply) or your network on 7726 for free. Report scam WhatsApp messages by pressing and holding the message and selecting ‘report’.

Emails: forward dodgy emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk with a subject line describing the email, such as ‘scam HMRC email’. You can also select ‘report spam’ on Gmail, ‘report phishing’ on Hotmail or forward scam emails to abuse@yahoo.com if you’re using a Yahoo account.

Letters: it can be tricky to spot a fake HMRC letter. If you're unsure about a letter you've received, log into your tax account or call HMRC using the number on its website, not the number on the letter. You can also check HMRC’s list of recent letters. Report scam letters by contacting the HMRC team the letter says it’s from, for example debt management. 

Calls: report scam calls received to HMRC using its online form. You'll be asked to sign in using your Government Gateway user ID or your email address.

Websites: report suspicious websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Social media: report direct messages on Twitter by tapping and holding the message and selecting 'report message'. On Instagram, tap the space next to the message and press ‘report’. On Facebook, tap and hold the message you want to report, press more and then ‘report’.

If you have been scammed out of any money, contact your bank immediately and report the scam to Action Fraud.