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HMRC tackled record levels of online fraud in the run-up to last month’s self assessment deadline, the department has revealed.
Taxpayers reported 23,247 incidents of phishing o the Revenue during the three months to 31 January: an increase of 47% on the same period a year earlier. As a result, the department closed 178 web sources of bogus emails offering tax refunds during January 2014, marking year-on-year growth of 274%
The taxman was alerted to more than 91,000 incidents of phishing during the whole of 2013 and put a stop to 1,476 sites.
HMRC tackled record levels of online fraud in the run-up to last month’s self assessment deadline, the department has revealed.
Taxpayers reported 23,247 incidents of phishing o the Revenue during the three months to 31 January: an increase of 47% on the same period a year earlier. As a result, the department closed 178 web sources of bogus emails offering tax refunds during January 2014, marking year-on-year growth of 274%
The taxman was alerted to more than 91,000 incidents of phishing during the whole of 2013 and put a stop to 1,476 sites.
HMRC’s head of digital security, Gareth Lloyd, stressed that the tax authority never uses email to contacts people who are due a refund.
He added, “We can and do close these websites down, and do all we can to ensure taxpayers stay safe online by working with law enforcement agencies around the world to target the criminals behind these scams.
Recipients of phishing messages are urged to forward copies to the Revenue via phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete the originals.
