Tax refund phishing alert

[Bryn]

Just had a pretty obvious phishing email claiming to be from HMRC. Forwarded it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Be on the lookout. The phishing email was headed "New Refund Available | ID:XXXXX"

[kernelbogey]

The clue is usually rather obviously in the sender's address.

[Bryn]

The clue is usually rather obviously in the sender's address.

Indeed, though in this case, it was the fact that the email called for a claim form to be completed by the 26th inst. that was the immediate flag. If I was due a refund from HMRC they would simply have given me it via a reduction in the tax on my pension.

[Stanfordian]

Just had a pretty obvious phishing email claiming to be from HMRC. Forwarded it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Be on the lookout. The phishing email was headed "New Refund Available | ID:XXXXX"

I get them regularly - but they can still be unsettling. I did wonder if the sender's of these might obtain addresses off eBay.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm jst glad I'm not a 72-year old going on 73 suffering from Altzheimer's. Or maybe I am!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I get them regularly - but they can still be unsettling. I did wonder if the sender's of these might obtain addresses off eBay.

I also get them regularly - variously demanding/offering money, claiming to be from HMRI, the Land Registry, various banks, VAT bills/refunds. They just go straight into trash, and immediately deleted. (I don't have anything to do with online banking, and if anyone had a genuine claim/refund, they'd contact me by post.) It was indeed very unsettling the first time, but it's just an annoyance by now.

(Nothing to do with e-Bay, though - I've never used it. )

[Bryn]

I very rarely get phishing emails, which is why I started this thread. There again, I also very rarely respond to online advertising, other than to ignore/delete it.

[french frank]

if anyone had a genuine claim/refund, they'd contact me by post.)

I can certainly confirm that HMRC do so. They notified me of a £26.40 refund this year : claim it online and get it paid directly into your bank account in 5 days, or do nothing and get a cheque 'in about two months'.

[ahinton]

Just had a pretty obvious phishing email claiming to be from HMRC. Forwarded it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Be on the lookout. The phishing email was headed "New Refund Available | ID:XXXXX"

That's exactly what to do with any such thing.

[Bryn]

That's exactly what to do with any such thing.

I should add that my Virgin Media email system would not forward it, on the basis that it contained spam. I therefore sent it as an attachment via Thunderbird.

[pastoralguy]

Yes, we've had these 'HMRC' refunds too! We've also had 'phone calls to our land line advising us that 'warrants for our arrest have been issued by HMRC' unless we 'phone this number and 'allow' us to make a payment.

The phishing scam is from someone purporting to be from PayPal who say that my 'credit level' has been reduced and to sign in to have it fixed!

It must be very intimidating for an older person or someone suffering from a degenerative neurological condition.

[Stanfordian]

Yes, we've had these 'HMRC' refunds too! We've also had 'phone calls to our land line advising us that 'warrants for our arrest have been issued by HMRC' unless we 'phone this number and 'allow' us to make a payment.

The phishing scam is from someone purporting to be from PayPal who say that my 'credit level' has been reduced and to sign in to have it fixed!

It must be very intimidating for an older person or someone suffering from a degenerative neurological condition.

It's unsettling for anyone! I've reported this sort of thing to the police but they don't seem to want to know. Too busy chasingg cannabis dealers and motorists!

[ahinton]

Yes, we've had these 'HMRC' refunds too! We've also had 'phone calls to our land line advising us that 'warrants for our arrest have been issued by HMRC' unless we 'phone this number and 'allow' us to make a payment.

The phishing scam is from someone purporting to be from PayPal who say that my 'credit level' has been reduced and to sign in to have it fixed!

It must be very intimidating for an older person or someone suffering from a degenerative neurological condition.

I'm as sure that it is as I am that such people are the scammers main market; a lot of people in good health are likelyh to take one look at these kinds of approach and treat them accordingly.

I've had quite a few PPI ones, as have most people, but I actually responded to a recent one just on spec because no cost is involved unless I'm to be owed any money and there's no obligation to have the firm pursue a case if there turns out to be one - that would be my choice. They've taken no bank account details either. I don't expect a positive result in any event but, as it need not cost anything, I saw no reason not to give it a whirl. How true it might be that lenders can and do conceal a PPI element in charges for their products I am uncertain but, since most of them are unscrupulous by design, it wouldn't surprise me.

[LMcD]

A friend of mine was contacted by phone about PPI. Well aware of 'what was what', she strung them along, taking care to sound suitably enthusiastic, and then casually asked how much they would take of any sum they recovered. 'Oh, our usual rate', they said. 'And that would be...? 'Er, 45%'.
I actually 'responded' to a TV advertisement from the FCA and contacted the card provider direct. Despite having very limited records, I was pleasantly surprised only a few weeks later to receive a settlement payment some 6 times what I'd vaguely been expecting.
Reports indicate that the proportion of claimants dealing with their card provider, rather than paying somebody else to do the supposedly hard work, is increasing and now stands at 55%.

[french frank]

It's unsettling for anyone! I've reported this sort of thing to the police but they don't seem to want to know. Too busy chasingg cannabis dealers and motorists!

Most companies (not enough) have abuse@, spoof@, phishing@ &c. email addresses. If people can take the trouble - and a lot of people can't - they should forward the email to the alleged organisation, copying in the full headers (I usually have to view 'Show headers', and copy them into to the forwarded email); also contact ActionFraud (which is the arm of the police dealing with online frauds): https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-phishing