HMRC warns of bogus rebate emails

Press Association
Updated
BWET1M A stressed student in front of her notebook computer. All isolated on white background.
BWET1M A stressed student in front of her notebook computer. All isolated on white background.

%VIRTUAL-SkimlinksPromo%The taxman is warning people to beware of bogus emails purporting to offer them a tax rebate after seeing a surge of almost 50% in consumers reporting being targeted by these "phishing" scams.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said that 23,247 phishing emails were reported to it in the three months leading up to the online self-assessment deadline on January 31 - marking a 47% increase on the same period a year earlier. During 2013, customers reported more than 91,000 phishing emails to HMRC.

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