HMRC tax refund and tax debt scams
In short. HMRC never text, email or call to tell someone they're owed a tax refund and ask them to click a link. Genuine HMRC refunds appear automatically in a personal tax account or by cheque following a P800. Scam reports can be forwarded to [email protected] (email), 7726 (text), or reported at gov.uk/report-suspicious-emails-websites-phishing.
HMRC publishes a regularly updated list of current scam patterns. The most common in 2025 are SMS messages claiming a tax refund is waiting, voicemails claiming a National Insurance number has been 'compromised', and emails impersonating Self Assessment correspondence.
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Signs of an HMRC scam
- Unexpected contact about a refund — HMRC do not initiate refunds by text, email, voicemail or WhatsApp
- Pressure to click a link, share bank details or download an attachment
- Threats of arrest, court action or NI number cancellation if you don't act now
- Demand to pay in iTunes vouchers, gift cards or cryptocurrency — HMRC never accept these
- Phone number or sender address that doesn't match HMRC's official channels
What HMRC actually does
Refunds are usually processed automatically: a P800 calculation is posted, and a refund can be claimed via the personal tax account, by bank transfer chosen online, or by cheque. HMRC does send some SMS and email reminders for known taxpayers (e.g. Self Assessment deadline nudges), but they never include a clickable link to a payment or refund page.
If unsure whether a message is genuine, ignore the contact and log in directly at gov.uk/personal-tax-account using bookmarks or a fresh search — never click the link in the message.
How to report
- Suspicious emails — forward to [email protected]
- Suspicious texts — forward to 7726 (free) — your operator will investigate
- Suspicious phone calls — report at gov.uk/report-suspicious-emails-websites-phishing
- Action Fraud (England, Wales, NI) — 0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk
- Police Scotland — call 101
FAQ
I clicked the link and entered details — what now?
Contact your bank immediately to freeze cards and check transactions. Change passwords on any reused accounts. Report to Action Fraud (or Police Scotland) and to HMRC. Monitor your credit file with the three UK credit reference agencies (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) for unexpected applications.
Can I verify a suspicious call claims to be from HMRC?
Yes — hang up, wait a few minutes (some scam calls keep the line open) and call HMRC's published number from gov.uk/contact-hmrc. Never call back on a number given by the caller.
Does HMRC ever phone about tax debts?
HMRC do call about genuine tax debts, but always after written correspondence and never demanding immediate payment by unusual methods (gift cards, crypto). When in doubt, ask for the case reference, hang up and call back via gov.uk's published number.