We would like to warn readers not to be taken in by emails, that suggest they are from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), inviting recipients to apply for a tax refund or to disclose underreported income. These emails are scams, attempting to extract credit card information and other personal details.

Our readers must remain alert. Please remember that HMRC would not inform any of our clients of a tax refund via email or invite them to complete an online form to receive a refund of tax. In one recent variation of this scam a client had been asked to:

'review your tax statement on HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) website '   which provided a link to click on.

All such emails should be ignored – do not visit any website contained in them, or disclose any personal or payment information

The fake HMRC email addresses being used include:

• tax-inform@hmrc-information.co.uk
• online.paper@hmrcpaper.co.uk
• office.tax@hmrc.taxreturn.co.uk
• customers@hmrc.gov.uk
• help.desk@hmrc.notify-online.co.uk
• online.notify@hmrc-customs.co.uk
• hmrchelpdesk@hrmchelpdesk.co.uk
• refunds@hmrc.gov.uk
• securemail@hmrc.gov.uk
• tax-refund@hmrcforms.co.uk
• hmrc@tax-revenue.uk
• refundsdept@hmrc.gov.uk
• hmrc@tax-revenue.uk
• refunds@hmrc.gov.uk

• taxcredits@hmrc.co.uk

• tax-service@hmrc.customs.gov.uk
• service@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
• officer.robinson@hmrc.co.uk

You can now report any suspected fraudulent emails to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Suspected fake websites can be reported to Internet Service Providers via their abuse hotlines such as abuse@yahoo.com and abuse@aol.com, to enable them to close down sites that are found to be bogus.

.If you have any queries regarding this please do not hesitate to contact us.