Does HMRC ever text you about a tax refund?

HMRC does send some text messages, but it will never text you a link to claim a refund and will never ask for bank details by text or email. Any text saying you are owed a tax rebate and containing a link is a scam. HMRC's genuine texts come from shortcodes it publishes, never from ordinary mobile numbers.

I clicked an HMRC tax refund link - what should I do?

Do not enter anything further. Close the page. If you entered bank details, call your bank immediately on 159 to freeze your account. If you entered personal details such as your name, date of birth, address or National Insurance number, expect follow-up calls from scammers posing as HMRC or the police. Report the message to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and forward the text to 7726.

How do I check if I am really owed a tax refund?

Log in to your HMRC online account at gov.uk directly by typing the address into your browser - never through a link in a message. HMRC writes to you by post about refunds, or shows them in your online account. You can also contact HMRC on 0300 200 3300 for Income Tax enquiries.

What is HMRC's real phone number?

HMRC's Income Tax helpline is 0300 200 3300. Numbers are published on gov.uk. Never use a number given to you in a text, email or unexpected call. If someone claims to be HMRC and pressures you, hang up and call the number from gov.uk yourself.

Will HMRC ever ask me to pay a tax bill by gift card or bank transfer to a personal account?

Never. HMRC does not accept payment by gift card, iTunes voucher or cryptocurrency, and never asks for payment to a personal bank account. Any demand with those payment methods is fraud.

Can HMRC arrest me by phone?

No. HMRC never threatens arrest over the phone, never demands immediate payment to avoid a warrant, and never tells you to keep the call secret. These are hallmarks of impersonation fraud.

Is this HMRC text real?

"You are owed a tax refund" — HMRC Scam Texts and Emails

The short answer: if a text or email contains a link to claim a refund, it is a scam. HMRC never does that.

📞 If you gave details, call 159

The one rule that settles it

HMRC will never send you a link to claim a tax refund. Not by text, not by email, not by WhatsApp. Refunds appear in your HMRC online account, or arrive by post.

So if you are holding a message with a link and a rebate figure, you already have your answer. You do not need to inspect it further.

What the scam messages look like

A rebate figure — often £200–£400, just enough to feel worth claiming but not suspiciously large.
A deadline: "claim within 24 hours or your refund is cancelled".
A link to a page that copies the gov.uk design almost exactly, with the crown logo.
A request for your bank details "to pay the refund into".
Sometimes a request to confirm your National Insurance number or a photo of your passport or driving licence.
Sent from an ordinary mobile number, or a shortcode that is one digit off HMRC's published ones.

If you already entered details — act in this order

Gave bank details or card number? Call 159 and ask your bank to freeze the account. A frozen account costs you nothing; an emptied one costs months.
Gave your National Insurance number? Report it to HMRC on 0300 200 3300 and consider Cifas Protective Registration, which flags your identity for extra checks.
Gave your name, date of birth and address? Expect follow-up calls in the coming weeks from people claiming to be HMRC, your bank or the police. They will sound convincing because they already have your details. This is recovery fraud.
Forward the evidence. Texts to 7726, emails to [email protected]. Do not delete the message before you have forwarded it.
Report it. Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or reportfraud.police.uk.

How to check a refund safely

Type gov.uk/personal-tax-account into your browser yourself. Never arrive there by clicking a link in a message, even if it looks right — scammers buy domains that differ by one character.

Or call HMRC directly on 0300 200 3300, using the number from gov.uk rather than from the message.

Last reviewed: 4 September 2026 · Sources: Action Fraud · NCSC · Cifas — how we verify

"You are owed a tax refund" — HMRC Scam Texts and Emails

The one rule that settles it

What the scam messages look like

If you already entered details — act in this order

How to check a refund safely

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