HMRC has updated its contact and phishing warnings guidance to inform self assessment (SA) online users that they could be contacted via telephone if HMRC has been unable to validate a repayment request, from 13 March 2017
HMRC may call self assessment customers who have requested a repayment through their online self assessment account for repayment directly into their bank account in cases where HMRC have been unable to validate the request.
Financial information will not be requested during the call but questions relating to the customer will be asked to validate their identity.
The latest batch of employer email alerts will also be sent from 13 March and will be titled ‘important information for employers’. The emails will include links to pages on the GOV.UK website, including advice about online security.
Emails received from HMRC will never:
- notify you of a tax rebate;
- offer you a repayment;
- ask you to disclose personal information such as full address, postcode, Unique Taxpayer Reference or bank account details;
- give a non HMRC personal email address to send a response to;
- ask for financial information such as specific figures or tax computations, unless given prior consent;
- have attachments, unless given prior consent; or
- provide a link to a secure log-in page or a form asking for information
Information on how to report internet scams and phishing to HMRC is available here.
