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HMRC have advised taxpayers to be vigilant following reports of a new phishing scam in which criminals pose as members of the department's staff.
A number of individuals are believed to have received phone calls from fraudsters claiming to be Revenue employees and offering tax rebates. The conmen ask for bank card details, which are used to empty their victims' bank accounts.
The taxman – who has shut down more than 180 websites responsible for sending out the fake tax rebate emails – contacts taxpayers only by post if they are due a tax refund.
'We never use telephone calls, emails or external companies in these circumstances,' said the Revenue's director of customer contact, Chris Hopson.
'We strongly urge anyone receiving such a phone call not to give any information to the caller, but report it to the police straightaway.
'If customers [sic] receive an email claiming to be from HMRC, we recommend they send it to us for investigation before deleting it permanently,' added Mr Hopson.
Further advice on protection against fraud can be found at GetSafeOnline.org.
