HMRC Tax Refund Text Scam: Spot the Fake (UK)

HMRC will never ask for your personal details or direct you to claim a refund via text message.

By Alex Bacsa · Published 2026-04-23 · Updated 2026-06-26 · 6 min read

What a fake HMRC refund text looks like

An HMRC tax-refund scam text is a smishing message that pretends to be from HM Revenue & Customs so you tap a link and hand over bank, card, or personal details. An example of the style is: HMRC: You are due a tax refund of £274.50. Claim now: hmrc-taxrefund.example.

The promise of a refund is the hook, and the amount is often specific to make the message look official. The link opens a fake GOV.UK-style page that asks for details to process the refund, but captures them instead.

Why HMRC refund texts are convincing

Scammers can spoof a sender name such as HMRC or GOV.UK, so the sender label is not enough to prove the message is genuine. The important nuance is that HMRC does send some genuine text messages. GOV.UK lists recent genuine HMRC text-message campaigns, and some genuine texts can include links to GOV.UK information or HMRC webchat.

The fact that cuts through the scam is this: HMRC says it will never ask for personal or financial information when it sends text messages. It also says it will never send a notification of a tax rebate or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by text message. For Self Assessment tax refunds, a genuine HMRC text may confirm that a refund is being processed and when you can expect it, but it will not ask for personal or financial information or provide website links.

For P800 tax-overpayment refunds, your tax calculation letter tells you how to claim. GOV.UK says you may be able to claim online, through your Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app, by contacting HMRC, or you may automatically get a cheque if your letter says so. You do not claim a refund through a random text link.

Signs an HMRC text is a scam

• It offers a tax refund or rebate that you can claim by tapping a link.
• It asks for bank details, card details, your National Insurance number, or other personal information.
• It says you must act quickly or lose the refund.
• It links to a lookalike GOV.UK page, a shortened URL, or a page outside the route you reached yourself by typing gov.uk.
• It claims a tax rebate is waiting by text; HMRC says it will not notify you of a tax rebate by text message.
• It threatens a fine, arrest, or legal action unless you pay immediately.
• It looks official but asks you to use a route outside GOV.UK, the HMRC app, or your HMRC online account.

How the HMRC refund scam works

First, a text claims you are owed a refund or, in the threatening variant, that you owe tax and face action. Second, it pushes you to a link to claim or pay. Third, the link opens a fake GOV.UK-style page asking for bank, card, or personal details. Fourth, the criminals capture everything you enter.

Those details can then be used for card fraud, bank fraud, identity misuse, or further impersonation scams. Checking only through GOV.UK, the HMRC app, or your HMRC online account breaks the chain.

How to check with HMRC safely

Do not tap the link or call a number from the text.

• Type gov.uk into your browser yourself and search for Personal Tax Account.
• Use the official HMRC app if you already use it.
• Follow the instructions on a tax calculation letter you received by post.
• If you recently requested a Self Assessment refund, check whether the text only confirms processing and timing, without links or requests for details.

A genuine HMRC text should not ask for personal or financial information or include a refund-claim link. If you are not sure, check GOV.UK's list of genuine HMRC contacts and contact HMRC only through numbers or services published on GOV.UK. When you are unsure whether a linked site is a copycat of GOV.UK, our guide on Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy walks through the checks.

If you clicked or shared details

If you gave bank or card details, contact your bank or card issuer immediately using the number on the back of your card. Tell them it was a scam, ask them to secure the account, and ask about disputing any payment. A card payment may be recoverable through chargeback, depending on the circumstances and card scheme rules.

If you sent money by UK bank transfer on or after 7 October 2024, mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules may apply to Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers. The PSR rules include a 13-month claim window, a maximum claim amount of £85,000, possible exclusions, and a possible excess of up to £100. Report the scam to your bank as soon as possible and keep evidence.

If you shared personal information such as your National Insurance number, consider Cifas Protective Registration at cifas.org.uk and monitor your credit reports with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Government-impersonation texts also target drivers - see our DVLA Vehicle Tax Text Scam: How to Spot the Fake (UK) guide.

How to report an HMRC scam text (UK)

Forward suspicious HMRC texts to 60599. GOV.UK says texts to this number are charged at your network rate. You can also forward scam texts to 7726 so your mobile provider can investigate.

Forward suspicious emails that mention HMRC to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, then delete them. If you lost money, shared sensitive information, or were hacked, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101.

Frequently asked questions

Reporting routes in this guide are checked against our verified canon of official UK sources — Action Fraud, the National Cyber Security Centre, and Citizens Advice — by an automated accuracy gate before publication. Fact-checked and updated by Alex Bacsa, Founder & Editor, on 2026-06-26. Read about how Beat the Scam writes guides.