Brian G Lonis & Co is a team of accountants who can offer support for various individuals and businesses. We are knowledgeable on a number of topics, including establishing ourselves as the most reliable team for tax returns Stoke Newington has. When you work with us you can expect clear advice as well as the best support.
Tax refund scams have sadly become more common in recent years. Even worse is the fact that the scammers can be very believable and manage to get some people to divulge their personal information. As a result they are at serious risk of becoming the victim of fraud.
Timing
This month HMRC issued a new warning to taxpayers to be on the lookout for tax refund scams. The scammers have been very smart this time because they have waited until the authorities are processing legitimate refunds for the 2017/2018 year. This makes more people believe an email or text message they receive claiming to be from HMRC.
The important thing HMRC would like to remind people is that they will never contact individuals directly via email, text and also phone call/voicemail. Instead they only notify people of a refund by post or via their employer. Both methods are more secure and it is also not necessary to divulge personal information.
Don’t click links or download attachments
Some people may receive fraudulent emails claiming to be from HMRC that contain an attachment or a link. It is vital you don’t click these links or download attachments. A link could send you to a website where your information can be stolen. An attachment may contain a virus or malware designed to steal your information.
Forwarding
The tax authority is working hard to tackle fraud. They advise people who receive messages to forward them on. As a result they can investigate and try to track down the guilty party.
Brian G Lonis & Co strives to provide the best possible accounting services. This focus is why we are the number one for tax returns Stoke Newington has. If one of our clients receives a suspicious email we advise them to do what HMRC says or contact us for further advice.