The Tax Man Giveth....

If you are anything like me you probably can't remember the last time the 'Tax Man' [those from HM Revenue and Customs] told you that you had paid too much tax and that he [or she] would like to return some money to you....Yeah right, like that is going to happen! I think I can honestly say that I have NEVER had any form of refund from them, ever, and I've been working for almost 30 years.

So, when I received the following e-mail [screenshot below] I was already rather sceptical:



The email looks quite believable, doesn't it? Even the link looks real.

If you are foolish/brave enough to click on the link, this is what you will see in your web browser:



Again, very believable, especially if you have no anti-phishing solutions in place.

If you are foolish/brave enough to fill in the requested data and then click on the link, this is what you will see in your web browser next:



Finally, if you are foolish/brave enough to fill in the requested financial data and then click on the link, this is what you will see in your web browser:



Yes, if you clicked on the final page you will be taken from the 'phishy' HMR&C site to the 'real' HMR&C site, none the wiser that you have been 'phished'. The final image [above] is the real HMR&C site.

Usual fare for the Phishers, they want your personal details so that they can steal money from your account or use the details to open new accounts or credit arrangements in your name, so when they default on the loan, you'll be the one being hassled or taken to court for non-payment.

Meanwhile your credit rating will nose-dive, and it will take you weeks, months or even years to recover from the effects. All because you were 'phooled by a phish'.

So, if you get an e-mail stating that you have a tax refund.....be warned as you may end up even more out of pocket than you would if you were dealing with the real HMR&C, at least they are up-front about it! So, to finish the second half of the line used for the title of this posting "The Tax Man Giveth [NOT] and the Phishers Fake it to Take it all!"