HMRC has warned taxpayers completing their 2020/21 tax returns to ‘be on their guard’ and stay vigilant regarding tax-related scams.
HMRC reported nearly 800,000 tax scams in the last year. It is said that fraudsters use self-assessment to steal money or personal information from taxpayers.
In the last year, HMRC received almost 360,000 bogus tax rebate referrals. HMRC will send more than four million emails and SMS messages this week to self-assessment taxpayers, prompting them to consider how they intend to pay their tax bills.
It warns taxpayers ‘not to be taken in’ by malicious emails, phone calls or texts, and do not mistake them for genuine HMRC communications.
Myrtle Lloyd, Director General for Customer Services at HMRC, said:
‘Scams come in many forms. Some threaten immediate arrest for tax evasion; others offer a tax rebate. Contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so if you are in any doubt whether the email, phone call or text is genuine, you can check the ‘HMRC scams’ advice on GOV.UK and find out how to report them to us.’
For more details click on this link – HMRC warns customers about self-assessment tricksters.
The self-assessment deadline is 31 January 2022.
