--- title: HMRC urges taxpayers to stay vigilant of scams description: HMRC is calling on people to stay vigilant in the fight against fraudsters, who are using email and text messages to scam them out of their savings. image: https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Woman%20receiving%20text%20and%20email%20tax%20refund%20scam.jpeg --- [![Shorts_logo_White](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/New%20Site%202018/Shorts_logo_White.svg "Shorts_logo_White")](https://www.shorts.uk.com/) [Blogs & News](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/) > [Private Client](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/private-client) # HMRC urges taxpayers to stay vigilant of scams Jo Grant - 13 June 2018 ###### Select topic - Please Select - [ Audit ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/audit) [ Business Taxes ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/business-taxes) [ Radius – R&D Tax Relief & Patent Box ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/radius-rd-tax-relief-patent-box) [ Corporate Finance ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/corporate-finance) [ GENUS Management Accounts ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/genus-management-accounts) [ VAT ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/vat) [ Private Client ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/private-client) [ Payroll ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/payroll) [ EOT ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/eot) [ International Taxes ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/international-taxes) ![featured image](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Woman%20receiving%20text%20and%20email%20tax%20refund%20scam.jpeg) ###### HMRC has issued a warning to taxpayers regarding the latest tax refund scams. These scams are targeting individuals via email and SMS messages. HMRC is currently processing genuine tax refunds for the 2017/18 tax year and the fraudsters are sending scam messages which claim that taxpayers are entitled to a rebate. These messages go on to request that they provide their personal and account details in order to make their claim. ###### HMRC is keen to stress that it will only ever inform individuals of a tax refund by post or through their employer, and never via email, text messaging or voicemail. Commenting on the issue, Treasury Minister Mel Stride said *‘We know that criminals will try and use events like the end of the financial year, the self assessment deadline, and the issuing of tax refunds to target the public and attempt to get them to reveal their personal data’.* HMRC is advising taxpayers not to click on any links, download any attachments or provide any personal information, and to forward any suspect messages to HMRC. If you require further guidance, please contact a member of our team.  [![Contact us](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2442072/27ed3297-05cb-4553-843b-b5e5a88bcc03.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2442072/27ed3297-05cb-4553-843b-b5e5a88bcc03)   Other related articles  - [The latest HMRC bulletin - information employers need to know ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/the-latest-hmrc-bulletin-what-employers-need-to-know) - [Making tax digital - changing priorities at HMRC](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/making-tax-digital-changing-priorities-at-hmrc)  - [Gov.UK press release on tax refund scams](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hmrc-warns-on-tax-refund-scams)   ![author](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/1678438830033-1.jpg) #### Jo Grant Jo is the Senior Marketing Manager at Shorts Chartered Accountants. 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