HMRC tax refund scams: how to spot a fake refund text, email or call

What's happened

Fake tax refund messages are one of the most common ways criminals pretend to be HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and autumn is a good time for them. HMRC sends tax calculation letters, known as P800s, between June and March, so plenty of people are genuinely expecting to hear about a refund. Paper Self Assessment returns are due by 31 October, and online returns by 31 January 2027.

HMRC says people reported more than 135,500 suspected HMRC scams in the ten months from February 2025, including 29,000 that offered fake tax refunds. In the 12 months to 31 July 2025, more than 47,000 of the 170,000 scam referrals it received involved fake refunds. HMRC says it shut down nearly 25,000 fake websites and phone numbers in ten months.

In April 2026, HMRC also warned pensioners that scammers could use the recovery of Winter Fuel Payments as a hook, after more than 25,000 Winter Fuel Payment scam referrals in a year. And in Virgin Media O2's scam index for April to June 2026, 46% of people asked had seen a government or HMRC scam.

The warning signs

• Any message saying you're owed a refund. HMRC says it will never contact you by email, text or phone to tell you about a refund or ask you to claim one.
• A request for personal or bank details by text or email. HMRC says it never asks for these that way.
• A link to "claim" your money. HMRC does send some texts, which may link to GOV.UK or its webchat, but it warns against opening links in any text offering a refund in exchange for your details.
• Threats. HMRC says it will never leave voicemails threatening legal action or arrest. It's aware of an automated call saying it's filing a lawsuit against you and to press 1. That call is a scam.
• Contact on WhatsApp or social media. HMRC says it doesn't offer refunds on social media, and only uses WhatsApp for one-way alerts from the government's official channel.

What it could cost: a worked example

This is an illustration, not a real case. Dave changed jobs in the summer and half-expects to have overpaid tax. A text says HMRC has calculated a refund of £326.40 and gives a link to claim it. The page looks like GOV.UK and asks for his name, date of birth, National Insurance number, card details and his HMRC sign-in.

No money arrives. Instead, the criminals can try to spend on his card, and with his sign-in they could get into his tax account. Using his personal details, they can also phone him pretending to be his bank, which is often where the biggest losses happen.

Compare that with a genuine refund. If Dave really has overpaid, HMRC will send a P800 letter by post. It will either tell him he'll get a cheque, which arrives within 14 days of the letter's date, or that he can claim online, with the money paid within five working days. He can also check through his personal tax account or the HMRC app.

How to check if HMRC contact is genuine

1. Go to GOV.UK yourself. Sign in to your personal tax account or the HMRC app rather than using a link in a message.
2. Use HMRC's own checker. Search "HMRC phishing and scams" on GOV.UK. HMRC publishes a list of genuine contacts and examples of scam messages.
3. Don't trust caller ID. HMRC says numbers can be spoofed to look real.
4. Check the email address, but don't rely on it. HMRC says fraudsters may fake the address or display name, so forward anything doubtful.

What to do if you've been caught

1. Call your bank straight away using the number on your card, or dial 159 to reach its fraud team. Ask it to stop any payments.
2. Report it to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
3. Tell HMRC. Forward suspicious texts to 60599 (network charges apply) and emails to [email protected]. You can also forward texts to 7726 for free, and other scam emails to [email protected].
4. Change your HMRC sign-in and any password you entered on the fake site.
5. Watch for follow-up contact. Your bank will never ask you to move money to a "safe account".

Your questions answered

Does HMRC ever text people?

Yes, some customers get texts, which may link to GOV.UK or HMRC webchat. But HMRC says it won't text or email you about a refund or ask for personal or financial details that way.

Will my bank refund me?

If your card was used for payments you didn't authorise, your bank should normally refund you unless it can show gross negligence. If you were tricked into sending money yourself, banks must usually reimburse up to £85,000 under rules introduced in October 2024.

I got a parcel text asking for customs duty. Is that HMRC?

HMRC warns about texts and emails saying you must pay customs duty to receive a valuable parcel that doesn't exist. Check with the courier or seller directly before paying anything.

Sources: HMRC (December 2025), HMRC (August 2025), HMRC (April 2026), HMRC scam examples, GOV.UK (tax overpayments), Virgin Media O2 scam index