HMRC Scam Texts and Emails: How to Check Them

HMRC scams often use tax rebates, penalties, deadlines or account warnings to create urgency. Current HMRC guidance gives some clear checks you can make.

Use the steps below to slow the situation down, verify the claim through a separate route and protect yourself without giving the suspicious contact more information.

Do not act on urgency alone

A tax refund, penalty, account warning or threatened legal action can create pressure to respond immediately. Stop and verify the communication through GOV.UK or an HMRC contact route you find independently.

Know what HMRC says it will not do

HMRC says it will never notify you of a tax rebate or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by text message. Its current scam-reporting guidance also says it will not use social media to offer a rebate or request personal or financial information.

Check genuine HMRC contacts

HMRC publishes a collection of genuine contacts and examples of phishing messages. If a message refers to an account issue, sign in through the official GOV.UK route rather than through a link in the message.

Report suspicious HMRC messages

HMRC currently asks people to forward suspicious text messages to 60599 and suspicious emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. Suspicious texts in general can also be forwarded to 7726. Follow the current GOV.UK page because reporting routes can change.

If you disclosed information

HMRC says to contact its security team if you think you gave personal information in response to a suspicious HMRC email or text. If banking information was involved, contact your bank as well using a trusted route.

Official UK guidance

Scam techniques and reporting routes change. These official sources were checked when this guide was updated:

• GOV.UK: report scam HMRC messages, calls and social accounts
• GOV.UK: HMRC phishing and scams collection