There are a couple of scams to be on the look out for, with fraudsters attempting to steal bank and credit card details and empty accounts using a couple of tactics.
In the first scam, emails are sent out to try and get people to apply for a tax refund by entering their bank and credit card details on a fake website – known as phishing.
Despite its apparent simplicity, this new scam has been described as one of the most sophisticated and prolific phishing campaigns that the HMRC has seen. Recipients of such emails are urged to send it to the HMRC for investigation. Thousands of such emails have been sent in the past few weeks, and it is thought that many more will be sent in the run up to the self-assessment deadline.
The second scam is an old favourite, yet slightly less sophisticated, but is worth keeping an eye out for nonetheless, as there have been more occurances of it recently. This scam simply involves hoax telephone calls claiming to be from the recipient’s bank, and asks them for their account details.
You should always be wary of such calls, and should report anything you’re not sure about to your bank. Always ask to call your bank back on a recognised number if you’re unsure.
photo credit: alex_lee2001