Taxpayers warned of phishing scams (From Somerset County Gazette)

Taxpayers warned of phishing scams

7:50pm Thursday 16th June 2011 in News

TAXPAYERS in Somerset are being warned not to get hooked by a surge of fake ‘phishing’ e-mails sent out by fraudsters as the tax credits renewal deadline looms.

The bogus messages claim the recipient is due a tax rebate and provides a click-through link to a cloned replica of the HM Revenue and Customs website.

The intended victim is then asked to give their credit card details and the con merchants try to take money from their accounts before selling on their details to other organised criminal gangs.

Joan Wood, director of HMRC online and digital, said more than 46,000 suspect e-mails have been reported since April, with over 150 scams shut down.

She added: “We currently only ever contact customers who are due a tax refund in writing by post.

“We don’t use telephone calls, e-mails or external companies in these circumstances.

“If anyone receives an email claiming to be from HMRC, please send it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk before deleting it permanently.”

HMRC thoroughly investigates phishing attacks and works with other law enforcement agencies in the UK and overseas.

In the last two years, scam networks have been shut down in a number of countries, including Austria, Mexico, the UK, South Korea, the USA, Thailand and Japan.

Always remember - never click on websites or links contained in suspicious e-mails and don't open attachments.