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Guidance: Examples of HMRC related phishing emails, suspicious phone calls and texts

Published 5 February 2007

Last updated 17 May 2022
+ show all updates

  1. 17 May 2022

    Examples of a scam email and a phishing website have been updated.

  2. 1 October 2021

    Phishing and scam examples updated and up to date screenshots included. ‘HMRC customs duty scams’ section added.

  3. 26 April 2021

    An image of a scam email for claiming the SEISS fourth grant has been added.

  4. 27 January 2021

    Examples of email and text scams have been updated including Coronavirus (COVID-19) scams

  5. 22 January 2021

    The ‘Suspicious phone calls’ section has been amended to include scam calls relating to National Insurance Number fraud.

  6. 10 September 2020

    An updated example of an HMRC related phishing email and phishing website has been added to English and Welsh version of this guidance.

  7. 27 March 2020

    Information has been added about a coronavirus (COVID-19) SMS scam that tells customers they have been fined £250 for leaving the house.

  8. 23 March 2020

    This page has been updated to let you know that HMRC is aware of COVID-19-Corona Virus SMS scams telling customers they can claim a ‘goodwill payment’.

  9. 13 March 2020

    An example of an email phishing scam related to the coronavirus – COVID-19 has been added to the Welsh version of this guidance.

  10. 10 March 2020

    An example of an email phishing scam related to the coronavirus – COVID-19 has been added.

  11. 10 July 2019

    The guidance has been updated with information about ‘WhatsApp’ messages.

  12. 15 March 2019

    A new example of a HMRC related phishing email scam has been added.

  13. 7 March 2019

    The guidance has been updated with new examples of a bogus email, website. Guidance on requests to complete NRL1 forms and return by fax has been removed.

  14. 2 July 2018

    The guidance has been updated with new examples of a bogus email, website, text message and PDF attachment.

  15. 5 January 2018

    The Bogus callers section has been removed and replaced with a new Bogus phone calls section.

  16. 17 October 2017

    A new type of Tax Rebate phishing scam, that contains PDF attachments, has been added.

  17. 13 September 2017

    Bogus callers section updated with new information.

  18. 20 July 2017

    Phishing examples have been updated.

  19. 5 January 2017

    Message warning of ‘Recorded message threatening legal action’ added to English and Welsh versions.

  20. 28 June 2016

    A new type of phishing scam regarding ‘Tax Returns’, which is being circulated in high volumes, has been added.

  21. 29 April 2016

    A new type of phishing scam which is being circulated in high volumes has been added to the pdf.

  22. 13 April 2016

    A new type of phishing scam which is being circulated in high volumes has been added to the pdf.

  23. 25 February 2016

    Text changes and references made to include ‘text / SMS messages’ in English and Welsh versions of the PDF. As HM Revenue and Customs are receiving a high number of referrals each month relating to bogus text messages.

  24. 14 October 2015

    Phishing examples have been updated.

  25. 1 October 2015

    The phishing examples have been updated and include up to date screen shots.

  26. 17 June 2015

    New phishing scam example added to page 9 of the pdf document.

  27. 24 February 2015

    Section 11 of the PDF has been updated to ask customers to forward phishing SMS messages to HMRC.

  28. 2 February 2015

    A new phishing SMS scam image added to the PDF.

  29. 30 January 2015

    Added translation

  30. 22 January 2015

    Document changed to clarify the position regarding SMS messages sent from HMRC

  31. 19 January 2015

    A new phishing scam is added to the phishing examples PDF.

  32. 17 December 2014

    Updated PDF attached

  33. 5 February 2007

    First published.

Published 5 February 2007

Last updated 17 May 2022
+ show all updates

  1. 17 May 2022

    Examples of a scam email and a phishing website have been updated.

  2. 1 October 2021

    Phishing and scam examples updated and up to date screenshots included. ‘HMRC customs duty scams’ section added.

  3. 26 April 2021

    An image of a scam email for claiming the SEISS fourth grant has been added.

  4. 27 January 2021

    Examples of email and text scams have been updated including Coronavirus (COVID-19) scams

  5. 22 January 2021

    The ‘Suspicious phone calls’ section has been amended to include scam calls relating to National Insurance Number fraud.

  6. 10 September 2020

    An updated example of an HMRC related phishing email and phishing website has been added to English and Welsh version of this guidance.

  7. 27 March 2020

    Information has been added about a coronavirus (COVID-19) SMS scam that tells customers they have been fined £250 for leaving the house.

  8. 23 March 2020

    This page has been updated to let you know that HMRC is aware of COVID-19-Corona Virus SMS scams telling customers they can claim a ‘goodwill payment’.

  9. 13 March 2020

    An example of an email phishing scam related to the coronavirus – COVID-19 has been added to the Welsh version of this guidance.

  10. 10 March 2020

    An example of an email phishing scam related to the coronavirus – COVID-19 has been added.

  11. 10 July 2019

    The guidance has been updated with information about ‘WhatsApp’ messages.

  12. 15 March 2019

    A new example of a HMRC related phishing email scam has been added.

  13. 7 March 2019

    The guidance has been updated with new examples of a bogus email, website. Guidance on requests to complete NRL1 forms and return by fax has been removed.

  14. 2 July 2018

    The guidance has been updated with new examples of a bogus email, website, text message and PDF attachment.

  15. 5 January 2018

    The Bogus callers section has been removed and replaced with a new Bogus phone calls section.

  16. 17 October 2017

    A new type of Tax Rebate phishing scam, that contains PDF attachments, has been added.

  17. 13 September 2017

    Bogus callers section updated with new information.

  18. 20 July 2017

    Phishing examples have been updated.

  19. 5 January 2017

    Message warning of ‘Recorded message threatening legal action’ added to English and Welsh versions.

  20. 28 June 2016

    A new type of phishing scam regarding ‘Tax Returns’, which is being circulated in high volumes, has been added.

  21. 29 April 2016

    A new type of phishing scam which is being circulated in high volumes has been added to the pdf.

  22. 13 April 2016

    A new type of phishing scam which is being circulated in high volumes has been added to the pdf.

  23. 25 February 2016

    Text changes and references made to include ‘text / SMS messages’ in English and Welsh versions of the PDF. As HM Revenue and Customs are receiving a high number of referrals each month relating to bogus text messages.

  24. 14 October 2015

    Phishing examples have been updated.

  25. 1 October 2015

    The phishing examples have been updated and include up to date screen shots.

  26. 17 June 2015

    New phishing scam example added to page 9 of the pdf document.

  27. 24 February 2015

    Section 11 of the PDF has been updated to ask customers to forward phishing SMS messages to HMRC.

  28. 2 February 2015

    A new phishing SMS scam image added to the PDF.

  29. 30 January 2015

    Added translation

  30. 22 January 2015

    Document changed to clarify the position regarding SMS messages sent from HMRC

  31. 19 January 2015

    A new phishing scam is added to the phishing examples PDF.

  32. 17 December 2014

    Updated PDF attached

  33. 5 February 2007

    First published.