HM Revenue & Customs “New Tax Calculation”; Phishing Scam Email
The original site is no longer online; links go to the Internet Archive copy.
The claim
Email purporting to be from the UK’s HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) claims that, after a new tax calculation, you are now due a tax refund of 221.17 GBP. It urges you to click a link to submit a tax refund request.
What the fact-checkers found
The email is not from HMRC and the supposed tax refund it describes does not exist.
The link opens a fake HMRC website that asks you to provide your credit card numbers, your name and contact details, and other identifying personal information. The information you submit on the fake website can later be collected by criminals and used to commit credit card fraud and identity theft.
There are many versions of these tax refund scam messages that target taxpayers, not only in the UK, but in other countries as well.
The following Hoax-Slayer YouTube Channel video provides more information about such tax refund scams:
The UK Government website includes information about how to recognise and report HMRC phishing scam messages.
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Check a similar messageRelated fact-checks
Browse the archive →‘Claim Your Tax Refund Online’ Phishing Email
The email is not from HMRC. It is a phishing scam designed to steal your personal and financial information. Tax refund scams like this are very common and have targeted taxpayers around the world for a number of years.
HM Revenue & Customs Income Tax Repayment Phishing Scam
This story was first published on May 3, 2011
HMRC ‘You are Eligible to Receive a Tax Refund’ Phishing Scam
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‘Attempt to Deposit Your Tax Refund Failed’ Phishing Scam Email
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