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Tax refund scam emails that look like they come from HMRC are very common, and now we’re seeing text messages too. It can be difficult to tell the difference between a genuine offer and a tax refund scam email or text message. If you are already a RIFT customer or have made an enquiry we may have tried to get in touch but if you think you may have received a HMRC tax refund scam message here are some tips to help you.
If you've got a missed call or text from 01233 628648 or an email from info@riftrefunds.co.uk then it's from us here at RIFT Tax Refunds trying to contact you about an enquiry you've made. If you've received an email or text that you're not sure is genuine then keep reading to find out how to spot a fraudster.
If you're wondering if you're due a tax rebate why not find out today for free. Answer a few simple questions and if it looks like you're due a HMRC tax rebate we'll get to work straight away.
| Check the email greeting. | If the email is addressed “Dear Customer” and not your name, it could be a bogus tax refund email. |
| What are you being asked to do? | HMRC will never ask you to give personal details or payment information by email. |
| Don’t open attachments. | A fraudulent email might ask you to enter information into an attachment to plant a virus or steal your details. |
| Don’t click on links. | They’ll be trying to trick you into giving personal information. |
| Report anything suspicious | If you get an email that looks like a HMRC tax refund scam you can report it here. |
Always check the sender’s address. At first glance, it might look similar to a genuine HMRC tax refund email address, for example: taxrefunds@hmrc.co.uk but HMRC addresses always end @hmrc.gov.uk. However, fraudsters can mask their sending address and make it look like the email comes from a real @hmrc.gov.uk address so still check the next steps. Here are some of the reported email address used to distribute scam emails:
A RIFT customer kindly contacted us to make us aware of a new tax rebate scam that he was sent recently, as he didn't want anyone to fall victim to it.
We have reported it to HMRC and the authorities, but you still may find it sent to you.
It may come as a text (which is how he received it) a private message on social media, or an email and look something like this:
IF YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE PLEASE CONTACT RIFT IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE CAN REPORT THIS TO HMRC.
PLEASE DO NOT CLICK THE LINK OR FILL IN ANY DETAILS ON THIS PAGE.
If you do click on the link it will take you to an extremely plausible copy of an HMRC site that looks like this:
The scammers have perfecty copied HMRC’s header. However, although the message sounds very believable, the information it contains is not correct.
If you are unsure about timescales, the status of your claim, or have any questions about payment then please get in touch with us. It’s worth five minutes for your safety and peace of mind.
In step 2 the scam page asks for your card details.
We do NOT NEED these details to pay your refund to you. The only reason you would need to give card details (especially the security number on the back and the expiry date) is if you are MAKING a payment, not if you are receiving one.
This is the scammer trying to get the details they need to spend money from your account. If you do provide the information that is being asked for here, the scammers will be able to make purchases using your credit or debit card.
If you receive any communications asking you to provide these, please let us know right away so that we can report them.
In the next steps the scammers ask you for other details that they would need to commit identity theft or other kinds of fraud.
While we do need to verify your identity to prevent fraud, of course. However, we never ask new customers to provide this kind of information through an online form.
Finally the form shows the amount of your refund, which we do not display online anywhere.
If you receive any communication at all from us, from HMRC or if you get something you're not sure about please check with us right away. That's what we're here for.
Here’s a bogus HMRC tax refund text message one of our staff members received:
HMRC alert!: Your eligible to receive a HMRC tax refund of £1280.50. To collect your refund , please click or enter the fowling link: [link removed]
HMRC will never text or email to let you know you’re due a tax refund, so this is obviously bogus. Also, did you spot the spelling mistakes? (Your eligible, fowling link) - HMRC wouldn’t make this sort of mistake. Never follow a link in a suspicious text or email.
Unfortunately there are many tax refund email scams that use the tempting offer of a tax refund to get your personal information and use it for fraud. This is known as “phishing” for information. You can see some examples of tax phishing emails here on the HMRC website.
At this time of year, many HMRC tax rebate scammers switch to messages telling you you're due a tax rebate, even including a very convincing looking total, because they know so many people are waiting for their claims.
Tax refund email scammers are good at making their scams look authentic and unfortunately many people get caught every year.
Stay safe online and remember:
What should I do if I think I’ve been sent a scam?
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
We all pay tax, and most of us think we pay too much, so how tempting is it to be offered some of your money back? It's much more believable than winning the lottery or getting an email from a foreign royal wanting to stash their millions in your bank account for safekeeping (honestly, some of the things they expect us to believe!)
What we do here at RIFT can sometimes sound too good to be true, but we can assure you there is a world of difference between the genuine tax refunds that we offer and the bogus tax refunds that the scammers are trying to tempt you with. We’re always happy to explain what we’re claiming for and why we’re allowed to do it. The scammers on the other hand are purely after your personal details so they can raid your bank account or sell them on to criminal gangs. Bottom line: it’s identity theft.
So now you’ve seen the not-so-clever tricks the con men try to pull on us, could you spot a bogus tax refund email? If you get one of these, the first thing you should do is report it to HMRC here. Over six months in 2014 HMRC worked with other law enforcement agencies to shut down more than 4,000 websites that are responsible for sending out these emails. The more scams we report, the more sites they will shut down.
The second thing you should do is delete it (after you've had a little laugh to yourself if it’s a really flaky example).
Still not sure you can spot a dodgy tax rebate email? You can always call RIFT, we’re here to help with any tax query, it’s all part of our service.
Finally, if you’ve claimed your tax rebate through RIFT, you won’t get another one until next year. We claim everything you’re entitled to in one go, and we never claim more than you’re entitled to. Our unique RIFT Guarantee gives you complete peace of mind: as long as you give us full and accurate information, if HMRC disagrees with the amount that we’ve claimed and asks for any money back, we’ll pay it.
Wondering if you can claim a tax refund or need to submit a tax return? Use our online tools to find out if you're owed money by HMRC.
Do I Qualify?
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