With the Self Assessment deadline of 31 January just around the corner, HMRC is alerting taxpayers to a rise in scams targeting individuals at this time of year.
Since February 2025, HMRC has been notified of over 4,800 Self Assessment-related scams, and more than 135,500 reports of suspected fraudulent activity overall. This includes around 29,000 involving false tax refund offers.
Scammers tend to ramp up their efforts around key tax dates, using a range of tactics to trick people into revealing personal information or making payments. Some of the most common approaches include:
- Bogus tax demands sent by email, text or phone.
- False refund claims that prompt recipients to provide bank details.
- Threats of legal action or arrest if payment or information isn’t provided.
HMRC’s Chief Security Officer, Lucy Pike, emphasises that fraudsters often impersonate HMRC in order to catch people off guard. Her advice is simple: if an email, message or call seems suspicious, don’t click on any links or share your data and report it straight to HMRC. You can find guidance on how to do this by searching for “report an HMRC scam” on GOV.UK.
HMRC also stresses that it will never do the following:
- Leave voicemail messages threatening legal action or arrest.
- Request personal or financial information via text or email.
- Contact you by phone, text or email about a refund and ask you to claim it.
If you’re unsure whether a message you’ve received is legitimate, please get in touch with us — we’re more than happy to help you check its authenticity.
See more: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/4800-self-assessment-scams-reported
e: office@londonaccountants.co t: 0203 137 9791
Kind Regards,
The Team at London Accountants
