Raised Alert: Surge in Phishing Scams Post Tax Deadline:
Alarming Increase in Suspicious Contacts Prompts Vigilance:
According to INDEPENDENT, the deadline for filing taxes for the year 2022-23 , people are being warned about a rise in fake tax refund offers. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is alerting everyone about scams through email, calls, or texts that pretend to be real. These scams copy real websites to steal personal info either to sell or get into bank accounts. HMRC saw a worrying 14% increase in reports of suspicious contacts totaling over 207,800 in the year until January with many involving Tax Scam like fake tax refunds.
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Response and Vigilance Measures by HMRC:
HMRC shared that it reported 26,443 harmful web pages to internet providers in the same period, 29% increase from the previous year of Tax Scams. HMRC stressed that they won’t contact people through email, text, or calls for tax refunds. They reminded everyone that tax repayments go directly to bank accounts visible in the HMRC app or online account to reduce Tax Scams. People were urged to be watchful, forward suspicious emails to [email protected], report scam calls on gov.uk, and send fake HMRC texts to 60599.Kelly Paterson, HMRC’s top security person, highlighted the increased risk after the tax return deadline. She warned people to be careful not to fall for fake tax refund offers as criminals are trying to take advantage. Paterson urged the public to stay aware, report anything suspicious quickly and use official HMRC channels to verify communication.