Recently, HMRC has issued a warning about a new wave of fraudulent letters being sent to business owners. These letters are designed to look like they come from HMRC, complete with a fake letterhead and logo, but they are actually a sophisticated scam aiming to steal your confidential information.
The letter claims to be from the ‘Indv and Small Business Compliance’ team at HMRC and demands sensitive financial information under the guise of a ‘government initiative aimed at verifying declared income.’ It’s written with a degree of professionalism, but upon closer inspection, the cracks start to show.
The letter asks for a wide range of documents, including:
- Business bank statements for the last 13 months
- VAT returns
- Filed accounts and full profit and loss statements
- Digital copies of passports or driving licenses
These are all standard requests in a legitimate HMRC inquiry, which makes the scam even more dangerous. However, the fraudsters make it clear that only digital copies will be accepted, a tactic that could lead to severe consequences, including identity theft.
One of the easiest ways to spot this fraudulent letter is by checking the email address provided for responses. The scammers have used an email that appears official at first glance: companies-review@hmrc-taxchecks.org. However, this email is a clear red flag. Legitimate HMRC email addresses always contain the gov.uk domain name.
If you or anyone in your business receives a letter like this, do not respond. Instead, report it immediately to HMRC and your local authorities. It’s essential to keep your financial and personal information secure and to be vigilant against these types of fraud.
Remember, HMRC rarely requests sensitive information via email. Their preferred methods are either through official letters sent directly to your registered business address or through their secure online portal. If you ever have doubts about the authenticity of any communication from HMRC, don’t hesitate to contact them directly through their official channels for verification.
In a world where cybercrime is increasingly sophisticated, it’s crucial to stay informed and vigilant. Regularly updating your knowledge of common scams and phishing tactics is a key part of safeguarding your business.
We are here to help—if you have any concerns or need advice, please reach out to us.