HMRC officials have issued a cautionary warning regarding scammers targeting individuals’ online tax accounts with the intent to steal sensitive personal data.
According to reports from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), clients of various accountants have fallen prey to emails described by HMRC as part of a scam strategy aimed at directing individuals to a phishing site to illegally obtain personal details. These deceptive emails claim to originate from the Government Gateway and typically include a confirmation code for validating an email address. The ICAEW strongly advises recipients of such requests to promptly report them to HMRC.
HMRC forewarn that individuals who receive unsolicited emails, particularly those related to verifying changes to their online accounts, should exercise caution and ignore them. Both taxpayers and agents are urged to disregard any subsequent follow-up emails requesting them to click on provided links.
In a statement, HMRC clarified that their systems have not been compromised. However, they acknowledge that criminals have made attempts to create counterfeit customer accounts or gain unauthorised access to existing accounts, leveraging personal data acquired through various channels, including breaching the security of other organisations. The emphasis is on remaining vigilant, reporting suspicious activities, and refraining from responding to unsolicited requests to safeguard against potential fraud.
If you receive a message and would like report it to HMRC, please forward it to the following email address: phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.