Even the most vigilant of us can be caught out by scammers – fake communication asking for information or money.
Scammers have recently been impersonating HMRC, fictitiously demanding tax payments or offering tax rebates. Messages have become increasingly sophisticated. Here’s an example:
The sender of this email (‘pom…@op…’) gives it away as a scam, as does how HMRC is presented … with the ‘@’ symbol. Scam phone calls and texts are also common. In the twelve months to July 2025, HMRC received more than 170,000 reports of suspected scams, including more than 47,000 involving fake tax refund claims.
Scams offering tax rebates are tempting. Others threatening immediate arrest if details are not updated, or payments made, can frighten people into action. With more than 12 million people expected to file a Self Assessment tax return by 31 January 2026, taxpayers remain a prime target for fraudsters. HMRC received more than 135,500 reports of suspected scams in the 10 months to December 2025.
‘Criminals are great pretenders who try and dupe people by sending emails, phone calls and texts which mimic government messages to make them appear authentic,’ says Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services. Unexpected contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check HMRC scams advice on gov.uk.’
Have you received a suspicious email, text or call impersonating HMRC?
You can report any suspicious communications to HMRC:
- forward suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599,
- forward emails to [email protected], and
- report tax scam phone calls to HMRC on gov.uk.
Many people will file a self assessment tax return for the first time this tax year, including:
- people who work in the gig economy, such as freelancers,
- those who have a second income from trading online, such as selling on e-commerce sites (such as eBay) or as a paid influencer on social media,
- anyone renting out property through sites like Airbnb, and
- high earners (over £50,000pa) claiming child benefit.
‘Communication from scammers can look genuine, especially if you haven’t liaised with HMRC before,’ explains Felicity Reader, Accounts Senior with re:accounts Chartered Accountants in Stevenage. ‘It’s best to be vigilant and report any scams you receive. In the 10 months to December 2025, HMRC took action to close down nearly 25,000 fake websites and phone numbers used by scammers.’
There are two main deadlines for submitting Self Assessment tax returns for the 2025/26 tax year: 31 October 2026 for paper returns and 31 January 2027 for online returns.
Have you received information from scammers impersonating HMRC? Please use the above links to report it.
Are you worried about submitting your self assessment tax return? Talk to the tax experts at re:accounts without obligation or jargon. Our friendly team would love to natter about tax!
