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Suffolk Trading Standards (STS) is warning the public about a fake text message from the HMRC which tells people they are entitled to a grant, a tax refund or rebate due to lockdown.
In a statement published on STS’s social media sites the organisation warned of a link to a “fake website created to look similar to the gov website”. The group revealed that the website scammers link to via text asks for card details to claim the grant or refund.
According to the trading group, it is HMRC policy to “never send notifications of a tax rebate or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by text message.”
Since the pandemic began last March the FCA has reported a rise in fraudsters posing as the HMRC, with many scams targeting company owners seeking Covid-19 relief grants to help manage their finances throughout the crisis.
The HMRC advises people to do the following when they believe they have received a fraudulent message: “Do not reply if you get a text message claiming to be from HMRC offering you a tax refund in exchange for personal or financial details. Do not open any links in the message.”
