Is this a scam? HRMC

[EyesOfBlue]

I got the following text:

HMRC has completed your tax review, £262 is outstanding to be paid back to you, Please use secure link to process your refund.

AIBU to be suspicious?

Don't they just pay extra with your next pay date?

Thanks

Scam. I do this for a living ( tax advisor not scammer!) hmrc will not e-mail you about tax refunds. It sounds like you are on PAYE? If you have any concerns about whether the correct amount of tax is being deducted check your coding notice for this year and if you think it is wrong 'phone the hmrc number given there.

I got a lovely rebate yesterday, and I also had the dodgy email

They (the scams) usually come from HMR & C as well.

I had this too. Dodgy buggers

I work at an Accountants and a client had the same as you.

It's definitely a scam.

HMRC put my refund straight into my bank account. I normally get the letter telling me after I've noticed it hitting the bank. I do fill out the appropriate bit of my return for them to do this though.

HMRC pay straight into the bank with no notification. Tis a scam.

Almost certainly a scam, however we had a rebate with no letters and no cheque. HMRC will send an email to tell you to log into your tax account, and read a message, and will transfer stuff electronically.

If you are signed up for self assessment ALWAYS log into that to read messages, and not via a link in a message.

If not signed up for self assessment, ignore! I've never had a tax refund when purely on PAYE other than through my pay packets.

Scam. A friends dd fell for iT.

Yep it's a scam. They never email or text you with that sort of info. I've had these. Report it immediately to ActionFraud then delete the email. You will get a response from AF within a couple of days confirming it is a scam and reminding you to be vigilant.

If ever in any doubt open a new browser NEVER click on a link and go to the official website. You will see straight away on the home page that UK Gov are warning against this latest scam

Total scam. I've had about 12 over the last fortnight; all claiming that I'm owed different amounts

SCAM. What HMRC say in a text or email is to tell you that an important message is waiting on the system for you to read. You have to go thru the 55 steps to login (have your passport & phone & other documents ready in order to login). That msg might be a refund requesting more details or a tax demand with due date, but HMRC simply won't tell you more in a simple text.

*speaking with experience

Definitely a scam.

Seems like a lot of Mners are getting these hmmmmm.......... I wonder HOW they get our info?

Scam. You can always set up and account and log into HMRC gateway to check your balance or status.

Scam. Forward it to [email protected] or just email them to let them know you got it.

Leelu the phishing emails are also going to a lot of people who have never even looked at MN, let alone have an account. Mine went to an email address that has nothing to do with MN.

Scam - mine was for exactly the same amount. I rang them & they gave me an email address to forward it to.

I get loads of scam emails, often one a day particularly from BT at the moment which is interesting as I have a fair bit of recent contact with BT so I suspect they have an internal fraudster operating.

I'm self employed and get those scam emails in my spam box all the time (sorry).

Any time I've had a genuine repayment from HMRC, they've simply deposited the amount in my account and sent me a letter advising of this.

Delete, delete, delete.

Definitely a scam - if HMRC want to give you a refund they just mail you a cheque, they don't warn you first. I've had several. You get the scary brown envelope, assume everything is terrible and awful consequences will ensue, and then you discover a nice cheque for however much.

Also it's only likely to happen if you've done something unusual like change jobs but pay normal or emergency PAYE and have a gap in employment or something in a previous tax year - they take aaaages to calculate that you shouldn't have paid that much tax over a year and you'll get a bit back.

That's what happens when you don't do a tax return and just to PAYE btw, and therefore HMRC don't have your bank details.

Its a scam.

From the gov.uk website:-

If you've had an HMRC email or text message you suspect isn't genuine report it here
[email protected]

If HMRC needs to contact you about anything confidential they’ll reply by phone or post.

HMRC never send notifications of a tax rebate or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by email or text message.

No NO No scam, they usually send a cheque if they have overpaid. If in doubt google their telephone number and contact them.

Google HMRC and contact them, do not use any numbers provided in the e mail.

HMRC can refund you via your tax code, often that is exactly what they do. Scam