HMRC have issued a fraud alert after being made aware of increasing numbers of people receiving text messages impersonating HMRC and stating that they have a COVID-19 tax rebate pending. They are being directed to click on a link in order to ascertain the level of their rebate.
Students are also regularly targeted with fraudulent messaging regarding tax rebates and there are concerns that this trend will continue or increase with the new lockdown restrictions.
During the previous lockdown, we saw an enormous increase in email and text scams relating to COVID-19, where residents were encouraged to click links in unexpected and unsolicited emails.
If you receive an email/text message offering a tax rebate that you are not expecting, please do not click any links. You can find information on identifying genuine HMRC communications, and report any suspicious messages at:
www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/hm-revenue-customs/ contact/reporting-fraudulent-emails