Beware of “Unsuccessful Submission” HMRC email scams

Email users in the UK should be aware of a surge of scams that claim to be from the HMRC claiming a tax return has been unsuccessfully submitted.

The emails have headers such as ”Unsuccessful submission for Reference 120-UA80173” and claim the HM Revenue & Customs had received a tax submission but it has “failed” data checks.

An example of a scam email can be seen below.

Unsuccessful submission for Reference 120-UA80173
The submission for reference 120-UA80173 was successfully received but unfortunately failed HM Revenue & Customs data checks and could not be accepted.
Please use the link below to view your submission, correct it and send again.
View submission for reference 120-UA80173
If you continue having problems, please contact the Online Services Helpdesk.
Telephone 0300 200 3600, Textphone 0300 200 3603 or email [email protected]
We are open:
Monday to Friday – 08.00 to 20.00
Saturday – 08.00 to 16.00
(We are closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day).

In this example, the link that claims to show the recipient their tax return actually links to a harmful file that if downloaded, will result in the recipient downloading malware.

The emails are targeted those in the UK who submit their own tax returns, such as the self-employed.

Recipients should always be on the lookout for fake emails from the HMRC (and similarly the IRS in the United States) since such scams are extremely popular.

Always look out for suspicious signs, such as your name not being in the email, and the name and email address of the sender. Also, never click on links in emails, and instead try to go to the website directly by launching your Internet browser and heading to the relevant website.

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