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Warning over fraudulent HMRC phishing emails
Tax payers in Bristol who are completing their self-assessments ahead of the January 31 deadline are being urged to be vigilant as ‘phishing’ emails and messages from fraudsters posing as HMRC spike.
Imogen Hilton-Brown, partner and head of private client tax services at accountancy and investment group Smith & Williamson’s Bristol office, said: “At this time of year there’s a spike in ‘phishing emails’ which appear to come from HMRC. It has closed more than 22,000 fake websites in the last 18 months or so, which is an average of 40 websites per day – so it’s a very real threat.
“HMRC says it will never send an email with a link to the software – so do not click on links in phishing emails that appear to come from HMRC. It’s also wise to change your government gateway password regularly as this reduces the chance of anyone else using it and stealing from your account by fraudulently amending your return online and rerouting a tax repayment.”
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