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HMRC warn of email scam

20.02.13

Just fewer than 80,000 scam emails, claiming to be from HMRC, were reported by taxpayers in 2012.

These emails ask the recipient for their banking details, National Insurance number, date of birth and their mother's maiden name in return for their tax rebate.

HMRC will never contact you via email if it is regarding a refund on your taxes. If you are due a rebate, you will receive any information via the traditional method.

"HMRC does not email customers about tax refunds – we only ever contract customers who are genuinely due tax back in writing, by post," said Head of HMRC's Digital Security, Gareth Lloyd.

If you do happen to receive a suspicious looking email, you should send it on to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk immediately and then delete it. The scam email will probably start with a sentence similar to this: 'We have reviewed your tax return. According to our calculations of your last year's accounts, a tax refund of (£...) is due.'

The reminder comes just weeks after the online self-assessment deadline passed, and these 'phishing' emails are said to be increasingly common around this time of year.

In 2012, HMRC closed down 522 illegal sites from around the world where these emails are thought to originate from.

If you think you may have been a victim of one of these emails, please contact your bank and card issuer.

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