Published: 20/08/2024 By Hannah Duncan
HMRC is alerting business owners about a new scam letter falsely claiming to be from the tax authority. The letter, bearing a fake HMRC letterhead and logo, impersonates the ‘Indv and Small Business Compliance’ team and looks very convincing.A key indicator of this scam is the email address provided, which lacks the official gov.uk domain. Authentic HMRC email addresses always end in @hmrc.gov.uk.
The fraudulent letter demands sensitive financial documents, including business bank statements, VAT returns, and even personal identification such as passports or driving licenses. The scammers claim this request is part of a ‘government initiative’ to prevent tax evasion and fraud, which is entirely false.
Notably, the letter insists on digital copies only, refusing paper versions or screenshots, and concludes with a note about them needing to verify the submitted information!
The poor grammar and suspicious email address — companies-review@hmrc-taxchecks.org — further reveal the letter’s fraudulent nature. Let this be a reminder that HMRC rarely requests information via email, typically communicating through official letters or its online portal.
If in doubt always check with HMRC through their official website, you can also report any suspicious comms to HMRC here