How to avoid Tax Scams
A tax scam is a hoax used by frauds to extract money from people. With thousands of people falling for these type of scams, the number is on rise.
As these schemes aim to defraud taxpayers like you, you need to be aware of certain things and be very alert. For avoiding such scams, here are some important things you need to know.
Do not give out your personal details.
The Home Office don’t ask information about you through email. That is why private details like bank details or password should never be shared. Also, you should not click on any of the links or update your info through mail because neither the bank nor HMRC will ask you for your personal details from such medium.
Misleading websites are waiting to trap you.
Some frauds create websites which look exactly like that of an official government service website or an official tax refund agency website. If you click on the link sent to you in mail, you will be directed towards one of these fake sites. These fake sites have poorly written content, design and very less information. Hence, you should always check the actual address on the email you’re sending. Remember, official UK government websites have gov.uk.
Do not give your money.
HMRC or any other government agency will never ask for money via email or over the phone. You can always contact HMRC to be sure. However, those running tax scams will act very professional and convince you of a great service via such mediums only if you pay them a certain charge. It can be either in cash or unsecured payment methods. So, do not fall prey to this scam.
Ask for the information if you are in doubt.
If you doubt the person who you are in contact with, be sure to check his overall information, including his number or address. If your doubts are confirmed, stop the communication and report them immediately to the concerned authorities.
Be careful of suspicious telephone calls.
When it comes to deceiving people, scam artists are experts in making people trust them. They will use telephone and claim to be a concerned person from HMRC to take the money. You can be one of them and may fall easily into their trap. That is why you need to be careful of such phone calls.
Since, tax scams can happen to any one of you, you always need to be prepared and watch out for such scams.
I hope this blog will help all of you prevent from any tax scams in the future.
About Phoenix Tax Accountants
Harley Street Accountants is a leading firm with a group of experienced
tax accountants specialising in accountancy, taxation and consultancy services in London, UK. For details, visit us at http://www.phoenixtaxaccountancy.co.uk/.
