News Article - 17 September 2007
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People completing tax forms have been warned they could be targeted by criminals looking to steal financial details.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) told the Independent on Sunday that emails and letters from fraudsters have been received by a number of people completing their self-assessment forms as part of a phishing campaign.

A spokesman for HMRC told the newspaper that the letters and emails request bank details, claiming that the taxpayer has tax to pay or is owed money.

"The fraudsters are very sophisticated. Some bogus letters come on headed paper and there are even telephone numbers which work and are answered by fraudsters," he said.

Anyone who receives a letter or email ought to get in touch with their local tax office if they are unsure of its origin, he advised.

In related news, HMRC is currently holding a number of seminars offering advice on how to file tax returns online for small businesses in Wales.

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