HMRC has issued a warning to taxpayers following reports of a fraudulent email claiming to be from Royal Mail. A concerned customer reached out to the group, sharing a screenshot of an email they had received.
They queried: "I've received an email saying Royal Mail tried to deliver a large letter from HMRC but couldn't. Please click to rearrange. This is a scam?" The email was titled 'Unsuccessful delivery attempt' and stated that the recipient had a 'large letter' to collect, allegedly sent from 'HM Revenue & Customs'.
The message read: "Your parcel was returned to our depot and you need to reschedule your package delivery. Please reschedule your package delivery by pressing 'Reschedule Now' and one of our drivers will attempt to deliver your package." The email featured a red 'Reschedule Now' button and was signed off by 'The Royal Mail Team'.
In response to the query, HMRC stated: "This is not a genuine email. You need to report a tax scam email call here." They provided a link to a webpage where suspicious emails, text messages and phone calls can be reported.
The information page advises: "Use the online form to tell HMRC if you've received a phone call you do not think is genuine. You'll need to give your email address. We may share your email address and phone number with other organisations to close down the scam."
Suspicious emails can be forwarded to HMRC's phishing team at phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. The tax group has issued a warning, stating that it would never send notifications of a tax rebate or ask individuals to disclose personal or payment information via email.
In addition, Royal Mail has urged customers to avoid clicking on any links in suspicious emails and to remain vigilant when receiving emails they are unsure about.
