How to protect yourself from tax and company filing scams

We have compiled an extensive guide to help you spot tax scams and know how to report them. We also offer some useful tips to protect you and your business. 

How to spot tax scams 

Tax scammers pretend to be HMRC to trick you into giving them your personal details and access to your money.  135,500 scam contacts were reported to HMRC in the ten months to 30th November 2025, with 29,000 of those contacts being offers of tax rebates, and 4,800 related to self-assessment tax returns. 

Scams can promise you a tax refund, ask for personal details or bank details, or threaten you with a lawsuit or arrest. These frauds can be highly effective and may appear authentic. It's important to question any phone calls or emails you receive and weren't expecting. Genuine correspondence won't require you to act immediately and the person on the telephone should understand your reservations. By hanging up and calling a genuine and trusted telephone number you can ensure that you've protected from scams.  

Here are certain things you should look for when assessing if communication is genuine. 

Sender's email address	Does this contain a series of letters and numbers and does not come from a @gov.uk email address?
Spelling mistakes	Spelling and grammatical mistakes could be a tell-tale sign of fraudulent correspondence.
QR codes	A QR code on a letter from HMRC should take you to the gov.uk website for guidance. Never click a link if it is taking you somewhere other than this website as it is likely to be a phishing scam.
HMRC text messages	HMRC will never ask for your personal information by text message.
HMRC WhatsApp messages	HMRC does not use WhatsApp to contact customers about tax refunds. The only genuine messages about HMRC and tax matters on WhatsApp will be if you have subscribed to the UK Government WhatsApp channel and will be alerts that you cannot reply to.
HMRC social media	HMRC will never use social media direct messaging to contact customers about tax refunds or ask for personal information.
HMRC emails	HMRC will never send an email regarding tax refunds.
HMRC telephone calls	A call stating HMRC is filing a lawsuit against you is a common scam and you should end the call immediately. If you can't confirm who the caller is, don't provide any information and hang up.

Companies House scams 

The Government recently updated guidance on known Companies House scams aiming to capitalise on confusion around the Companies House reforms. They include phone calls, emails and letters. Examples include: 

• Phone calls from the fictitious ‘registration department’ asking for payment for late registration penalties 
• Emails reporting complaints, verification of emails address or other details or asking you to click links or download attached documents 
• Scam letters containing QR codes, fake invoices, and requests for fees for ‘Enhanced Web Filing Access’ 

In all cases you are advised not to pay fees, scan QR codes or download documents from emails and instead check the latest guidance on scam communications here or call Companies House on 0303 1234 500 to verify the communication you have received is genuine. 

​Tips to protect you and your business from scams

1. Don't click 

Do not instantly click on any links in emails, or text messages. Before clicking you should check the preview of where the link is taking you – does it look genuine? On a laptop or desktop computer you can hover the cursor over links to help you spot anything unusual in the URL.

2. Don’t open attachments 

Do not open any attachments purportedly sent by HMRC or Companies House by email, they are too risky. 

3. Don’t respond directly 

If you receive a text, email or call from HMRC or Companies House do not respond directly. Instead, use the telephone numbers on the HMRC or Companies House websites.

4. Don’t share card details 

Do not enter your card details into any system, as this may allow scammers to take money from your account. Receiving a tax refund is great, but don't accept one too quickly if you weren't expecting it.

5. Don’t succumb to pressure 

If someone pressures you to do something you're not sure about, pause and consider what they're asking you to do. Scammers use pressure and urgency to rush you into making hasty decisions.

6. Were you expecting correspondence? 

If you weren’t expecting a call from HMRC or Companies House, it’s unlikely to be genuine. Therefore, it is OK for you to hang up if you're not feeling comfortable. You can call or message HMRC or Companies House on their published telephone numbers. 

7. Consult your accountant 

If you’re new to self-assessment and unsure what to expect, use a trusted accountant. You can check with them if correspondence you receive is genuine.

8. Complete your tax return early 

Complete your self-assessment tax return early. This means you know where you stand and aren’t under any pressure. You’ll also have more time to check correspondence to ensure it is genuine. 

9. Check published example of scams 

The Government publishes examples of known scams claiming to be HMRC or Companies House online. You can use the examples to see whether the correspondence you’re receiving is real. 

10. Be suspicious and report 

Several third-party companies will offer their services in claiming tax refunds and rebates on your behalf. They are not working with HMRC so use these services with caution and read the small print.

What should you do?

Scammers are clever and are continually devising new ways to get around your defences and access your personal information or bank details. It isn’t just emails and phone calls, so always remain vigilant of anything unusual. Some scammers even make contact again if they suspect you have rumbled them, pretending to be HMRC or your bank, offering to ‘help’ you deal with the first scam message.

If you suspect that someone claiming to be HMRC or Companies House has involved you in a phishing attack or other scam, there are several ways to report it:

Email phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, text 60599 or call Action Fraud immediately on 0300 123 2040 or if you are in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. Action Fraud also has an online tool to report suspected online fraud.

The Government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign has lots of information on protecting yourself and your business from scams and fraud. 

The National Cyber Security Centre and UK Government have also provided a cyber security toolkit to give you guidance on keeping your business safe from cyber criminals. Use this service to learn some quick and simple action you can take. Furthermore, ensuring your employees are aware of scams and cyber security is essential in keeping everyone safe.

Last updated: 3rd June 2026