Brits filling in a self assessment form are urged to keep an eye out for scam texts and calls. (Image: Getty)
With nine days to go until the tax return deadline, Brits are reminded to be alert of potential scams involving criminals impersonating .
Multiple scam texts, emails, and phishing calls have been making the rounds, claiming to be from .
The fake messages claim the respondent either owes money, is owed a refund from or needs to update their details to avoid being accused of tax evasion.
The messages invite the taxpayer to click a link to extract personal information to steal money.
A report by NatWest found that tax rebate scams were one of the fastest-growing scam types in 2024. There were more than 150,000 reports about tax scams in 2024 (an increase of 16.7% compared to 2023), of which 71,832 were offering fake tax rebates.
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John Clark, product manager at Take Payments, said scams have become so prevalent that the Government has been forced to issue an official scam warning for the 5.4 million people in the UK who still need to submit a self-assessment tax return before the deadline.
Clark said anyone receiving a text message, email or call claiming to be from should look out for:
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Unsolicited messages regarding refunds – “Unexpected text messages regarding any form of financial payment or action should always be considered suspicious ,especially if the language encourages urgency. will never ask for your bank details or personal information over text.”
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Spelling and grammar mistakes in the text – Scammers often use broken English or grammatical mistakes within their texts. This could be a giveaway that a message or email isn’t legitimate.
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If the message is from a suspicious number – Trusted bodies like won’t usually send official communication from a mobile number, said Clark. “Always check the number the message has come from and if in doubt, use a phone number lookup service online. If the number begins with 07 or is withheld, treat it as suspicious and don’t open any included links. Be aware that the number “60263” has been closely linked to fraudsters impersonating .
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If you get a call claiming to be from you may hear background noise that sounds artificial. Clark said: “There have been reports of an automated phone call claiming to be filing a lawsuit against you for tax evasion doing the rounds. Some fraudsters are using AI to produce these automated calls. “Scammers often use background sounds to give the impression they are calling from a specific location, like a call centre.”
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Never send money via bank transfer to unknown sources. Many scammers request tax rebate payment by bank or wire transfer, or through a peer-to-peer (P2P) app like PayPal. “These methods are designed for sending money to people that you know, like family and friends. They are not intended to be used for trusted organisation transactions and do not have protection in place to recover lost funds from fraud.”
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Look for two-factor authentication – Also known as, two-factor authentication is a key security feature when making online payments. Secure sites that use 3DS will have a Visa Secure, MasterCard SecureCode, or American Express SafeKey logo on them.
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Never share personal details or information. Although do use text communication they will never request payment details over text or email. Links included in these messages are likely to lead to fraudulent websites. Unsecured payment gateways do not ask for four-digit card PINs or online banking information, including passwords.
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Protect your information online. Having personal details like your phone number and email address publicly available on social media or websites makes you a much easier target for hackers. Ensure that this information is hidden so that you can better protect yourself.
If you think a scam seems suspicious, reply directly to the official body. Do not reply to the text or email itself, as you may be providing scammers with your data.
You can report any suspicious texts to 60599 or email to help fight fraud.”