"Perhaps it is the general failure to claim these refunds that has caught the attention of fraudsters who see them as easy money should they be able to access the required details to submit one."
He said before engaging anyone in a tax refund claim, taxpayers should check the following:
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- No legitimate tax refund firm will ask for your personal details over Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. If you see a Google Ad or a display ad on social media that suggests you provide any personal details then you may assume that it is dodgy;
- The most foolproof way to ensure that your tax refund is being undertaken legitimately is to seek recommendations from friends or colleagues that have engaged a professional firm previously;
- Google them - a legitimate tax refund firm will have a significant digital footprint. Not just a website but a social media history and, importantly, a history of press and media coverage (positive, of course);
- Do not pay anything up front. Established tax refund specialists will work on a ‘no win - no fee’ basis and will not ask you for money on account or a ‘registration fee’;
- Above all - if you speak to a company that purports to be a genuine tax refund agency and it doesn’t seem or sound right, then it probably isn’t.
HMRC said anyone who has shared personal information online should contact their bank, and report any fraud to Action Fraud.
Any unsolicited approaches can also be reported to HMRC directly.
carmen.reichman@ft.com
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