Scammers posing as the UK tax agency, HMRC, are threatening arrest and demanding fake penalties from people preparing tax returns. Here is how to spot them.
Fake HMRC calls are going around, and some threaten people with immediate arrest over unpaid tax. HMRC is the UK tax agency. The warning comes as millions of people prepare their Self Assessment returns ahead of the January 31 deadline, after the October registration deadline has passed.
According to Michele Tieghi, founder of psyfi money, the scams arrive by phone call, text and email. Callers claim you have an unpaid tax bill and could be arrested or face legal action unless you act right away. The aim is to make you panic and hand over personal details.
Some texts and emails say you missed the October registration deadline and must pay a £100 penalty. They may add that the penalty will grow if you do not pay at once. Others ask you to verify your Government Gateway account before you can file. The link leads to a page that asks for your user ID and password, which lets scammers steal them and reach sensitive personal and financial information.
Tieghi says HMRC will never threaten you with immediate arrest over the phone for an unpaid tax bill. The £100 fixed fine generally applies to missing the January 31 filing deadline, not the October registration deadline.
There is a catch that makes the fake messages sound believable. Missing the October deadline can still lead to a penalty if you fail to tell HMRC that you owe tax. That penalty is a percentage of the unpaid tax and depends on the circumstances. It is not a flat £100 demand sent by text.
People struggling to finish their returns are especially exposed. Scammers also offer fake deadline extensions for a small fee, and the real goal is to collect bank account details. Someone worried about running late may be tempted to pay. Tieghi notes that no fee can extend the January 31 deadline.
The steps in the alert box above cover the basics: hang up, skip the links and check through the official government website. Do not use a phone number or link supplied in the message itself.
If you do get a real penalty and think it is unfair, there is a legitimate route. Tieghi says you can appeal penalties if you have what HMRC considers a reasonable excuse. That is a far better path than paying a stranger who promises more time.
HMRC does not threaten arrest by phone or sell deadline extensions, so hang up and check any claim on the official government website.
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