Overview
- Tax advisers report a seasonal uptick in fraudsters posing as HMRC via letters, texts and calls.
- Common ploys include promises of tax refunds or threats of enforcement to harvest bank or personal details.
- HMRC says genuine texts will never request financial information or include links asking for it.
- The department does not leave voicemails threatening arrest and will not discuss individual tax affairs over social media; WhatsApp reminders only come via the UK Government Channel and never seek personal data.
- Sharing details can let criminals access accounts and withdraw funds, so people are urged to slow down and verify using official HMRC channels.