Overview
- An HMRC spokesperson said on X that more than 29,100 scam websites were taken down in the past 12 months and urged people to report suspicious contact.
- Coverage reports that criminals continue to successfully scam thousands by posing as HMRC through fake emails, texts, phone calls and counterfeit sites using threats or refund lures.
- Some reports cited in the coverage suggest phishing victims lose about £1,730 on average, highlighting the financial risk from HMRC impersonation scams.
- HMRC’s guidance flags potential scams that rush or threaten you, arrive unexpectedly, request bank details, instruct money transfers or promise tax rebates, and it says it will never demand payment via vouchers.
- The department says it will not leave voicemails threatening arrest, will only send one-way updates via the UK Government Channel on WhatsApp, uses QR codes that lead to GOV.UK guidance, and directs victims to report losses to Action Fraud or Police Scotland.