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Guidance

Examples of HMRC related phishing emails, suspicious phone calls and texts

Find out about methods fraudsters use to try and get your personal information by viewing examples of scams identified by HMRC.

Updates to this page

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published:
5 February 2007
Last updated:
15 December 2025
Show all updates

  1. References to Action Fraud have been updated because the service is now called Report Fraud.

  2. The email address for reporting suspicious social media accounts has been updated. The COVID-19 scams section has been removed.

  3. The email address to let us know about social media scams has been updated.

  4. We have updated the 'QR codes' section of this guide, as we now use QR codes to take you to websites other than GOV.UK. If a QR code does not take you to GOV.UK, we will tell you.

  5. An updated example of an HMRC related phishing email and phishing website has been added to English and Welsh version of this guidance.

  6. Information about the new UK Government WhatsApp Channel, and how HMRC will use the Channel, has been added.

  7. Information about how HMRC use QR codes has been updated.

  8. Information about when HMRC might send you a text message has been updated.

  9. Information about how HMRC use QR codes has been updated.

  10. Information about how HMRC use QR codes has been added.

  11. Information about when HMRC might send you a text message if you call one of our helplines from a mobile phone, and what it might include has been added.

  12. Examples of a scam email and a phishing website have been updated.

  13. Phishing and scam examples updated and up to date screenshots included. 'HMRC customs duty scams' section added.

  14. An image of a scam email for claiming the SEISS fourth grant has been added.

  15. Examples of email and text scams have been updated including Coronavirus (COVID-19) scams

  16. The 'Suspicious phone calls' section has been amended to include scam calls relating to National Insurance Number fraud.

  17. An updated example of an HMRC related phishing email and phishing website has been added to English and Welsh version of this guidance.

  18. Information has been added about a coronavirus (COVID-19) SMS scam that tells customers they have been fined £250 for leaving the house.

  19. This page has been updated to let you know that HMRC is aware of COVID-19-Corona Virus SMS scams telling customers they can claim a ‘goodwill payment’.

  20. An example of an email phishing scam related to the coronavirus - COVID-19 has been added to the Welsh version of this guidance.

  21. An example of an email phishing scam related to the coronavirus - COVID-19 has been added.

  22. The guidance has been updated with information about 'WhatsApp' messages.

  23. A new example of a HMRC related phishing email scam has been added.

  24. The guidance has been updated with new examples of a bogus email, website. Guidance on requests to complete NRL1 forms and return by fax has been removed.

  25. The guidance has been updated with new examples of a bogus email, website, text message and PDF attachment.

  26. The Bogus callers section has been removed and replaced with a new Bogus phone calls section.

  27. A new type of Tax Rebate phishing scam, that contains PDF attachments, has been added.

  28. Bogus callers section updated with new information.

  29. Phishing examples have been updated.

  30. Message warning of 'Recorded message threatening legal action' added to English and Welsh versions.

  31. A new type of phishing scam regarding 'Tax Returns', which is being circulated in high volumes, has been added.

  32. A new type of phishing scam which is being circulated in high volumes has been added to the pdf.

  33. A new type of phishing scam which is being circulated in high volumes has been added to the pdf.

  34. Text changes and references made to include 'text / SMS messages' in English and Welsh versions of the PDF. As HM Revenue and Customs are receiving a high number of referrals each month relating to bogus text messages.

  35. Phishing examples have been updated.

  36. The phishing examples have been updated and include up to date screen shots.

  37. New phishing scam example added to page 9 of the pdf document.

  38. Section 11 of the PDF has been updated to ask customers to forward phishing SMS messages to HMRC.

  39. A new phishing SMS scam image added to the PDF.

  40. Added translation

  41. Document changed to clarify the position regarding SMS messages sent from HMRC

  42. A new phishing scam is added to the phishing examples PDF.

  43. Updated PDF attached

  44. First published.

Documents

Examples of phishing emails, suspicious phone calls and texts

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Use the examples and advice to help you decide if contact from HMRC is genuine. The examples show you the different methods fraudsters use to get you to disclose your personal information.

You can also check a list of genuine HMRC contacts.

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