HMRC recently provided guidance to Express.co.uk on scams purporting to be from the Revenue.
A spokesperson said: Criminals use a range of techniques in tax-related phone scams, including calling taxpayers and offering a bogus tax refund, or threatening them with arrest if they don’t immediately pay fictitious tax owed.
“These scams sometimes target the elderly and vulnerable. We are a well-known brand, which criminals abuse to add credibility to their scams.
“If someone calls, emails or texts claiming to be from HMRC, saying that you can claim financial help, are due a tax refund or owe tax, or asks for bank details, it might be a scam.