Warning over email tax-back scam

Government officials are warning the people of Bracknell of a scam involving a staggering number of emails offering people the chance to claim tax back.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has issued the warning this month of a record number of online attacks, known as “phishing”.
And officials say in just one day this month, they received more than 10,000 reports of the fraud and 83,000 in a month.
Last month, getbracknell received a number of phone calls from people concerned over being rung up out of the blue by companies offering the chance to win back bank charges if they give their account details out over the phone.
In this scam, the sender claims the recipient of the email is due a tax return and then asks for credit card or bank details.
Customs officials are warning anyone who hands over the information risks having their account emptied or their bank details being sold to criminal gangs.
They also warn the latest version of the online scam operates from websites which change their domain name every 20 minutes.
John Harrison, head of HMRC customer contact, said: “We only contact customers who are due a refund in writing by post.
“We never use emails, telephone calls or external companies in these circumstances.
” He also advised customers not to click on any website or links contained in suspicious emails or open attachments. “I would strongly encourage anyone receiving such an email not to open it.