HM Revenue & Customs warn taxpayers and businesses that fraudsters are sending out fake, spoof emails in their name.
They give the following advice:
- Always check that you can see the padlock when you give confidential information on a website.
- An email that doesn’t use your name (e.g. “dear customer”) is likely to be a fake.
- A bogus sender, such as the names of departments that don’t exist.
- Embedded links in the email. They may look like the real thing but if you hover your mouse over them, you’ll see a different address ‘underneath’.
In general, we recommend that you don’t click on links in any email. It’s better to type in a known and trusted address.
You can forward fake HMR&C emails to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and read more advice from HMR&C on their website. You can learn how to stop unwanted email on GetSafeOnline.org.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
i have received a fake email from alertsonline@hmrc.co.uk
hi
i have also received an email from alertsonline@hmrc.co.uk is this a fraud site???
From: alertsonline@hmrc.co.uk
Subject: Tax Refund
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 18:10:13 +0100
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Tax Refund Notification
Date 06/12/2011 A tax refund of 980.00 GBP .(Still Pending) Due to invalid account record we were unable to credit your account Please submit a verified tax refund request.
A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.
Click the “Refund Me Now” link below and follow the on screen step in order to have us process your request.
Refund Me Now Note: For security reasons, we will record your ip-address, the date and time,Deliberate wrong inputs are criminally pursued and indicated.
Best Regards,
HM Revenue & Customs