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Hunt’s Headlines – Industry Reacts
Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement has been welcomed for cutting National Insurance and making tax easier for the self-employed. Being able to claim tax...
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Paying The Man – Don't Get Scammed
HM Revenue and Customs has issued a warning as more than 135,500 tax-related scams have been reported since February 2025, including 29,000 scams referring to fake tax refund claims.
Scammers use persuasive and threatening tactics to target people when they are more likely to receive correspondence from HMRC. They send fake tax demands or attempt to pressurise people to hand over personal information.
HMRC is reminding customers to be extra vigilant as the Self Assessment deadline looms. Iyou can check whether an email, SMS message or phone call claiming to be from HMRC is genuine on GOV.UK
Lucy Pike, HMRC’s chief security officer, says: “Millions of people file a tax return each year and many do it on deadline day. Scammers mimic HMRC to try and catch unsuspecting victims out.
“I’m urging people to stay vigilant and if any emails, text messages or phone calls appear suspicious, don’t be lured into clicking on links or sharing your personal information. Report it directly to HMRC. Just search ‘report an HMRC scam’ on GOV.UK to find out more.
“HMRC has taken swift action to close down nearly 25,000 fake websites and phone numbers in the last 10 months.”
HMRC will never:
Leave voicemails threatening legal action or arrest
Ask for personal or financial information via text message or email.
Contact customers by email, text, or phone to inform them about a refund or ask them to claim one.
Picture: Anyone who receives suspicious communication from HMRC can forward emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, SMS messages to 60599 or report phone calls mimicking HMRC on GOV.UK
Article written by Brian Shillibeer
27th January 2026