I'm assuming this a scam??

[Palfrem]

Mrs P just had this drop into her inbox.

Seems very odd to me. No phone number to call.

Scam?

 

[markmifsud]

open the email and get properties of it, you can then see the path its taken to get to you. I would suspect its around 99.999% scam.

 

[lxi]

scam beyond any doubt. Delete it & do NOT click on the link just to see ....

 

[Meldrew2]

Absolutely 100% scam.

 

[BandyAndy]

scam beyond any doubt. Delete it & do NOT click on the link just to see ....

+1

 

[Bellow]

I'd say yes, scam.
No formal address by name.
Short deadline to apply.
'No phone' instruction.
Wouldn't a refund be issued automatically? (If you have had transactional payments prior (either direction) then HMRC already have bank details).

HMRC's phone number available via their website - phone and enquire as to authenticity.

 

[Palfrem]

Thanks chaps - suspicions confirmed.

I don't think I'll be clicking the link - mark as Junk!

 

[Rory]

It's a bit scary that you had to ask!

Be REALLY careful with this stuff - the "ransomware" trojans with lock all your files and can be very diffiuclt to remove are getting widespread now. Make sure eveyone in your household who uses computers doesn't click on links they're not certain of.

 

[Wheelsnuts]

SCAM. Delete without opening!

 

[Scott_F]

Since it's already been opened just click 'reply' and see if a micky mouse return e-mail address is then displayed.

 

[grober]

Standard scam giveaway= its not specifically addressed to your wife. No bona fide organisation uses terms like " applicant" they address you by name. Likewise they all offer some form of money/ reward /something for nothing . Ask yourself ---what is the chances of someone greeting you in the street today and thrusting £442.25 cash into your hand- that's the likelyhood of it being true!

 

[jotter22]

I'd say yes, scam.
No formal address by name.
Short deadline to apply.
'No phone' instruction.
Wouldn't a refund be issued automatically? (If you have had transactional payments prior (either direction) then HMRC already have bank details).

HMRC's phone number available via their website - phone and enquire as to authenticity.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organ...ries-for-individuals-pensioners-and-employees.

Tony.

 

[Pitts Pilot]

"Dear Applicant"??

YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS?

Scam, scam, scam, scam, scam all day long. LOL

Cheers,
Robert

 

[Dryce]

I don't think I'll be clicking the link - mark as Junk!

Problem with marking as junk is that real messages from HMRC may get classified as SPAM.

These sorts of fakes are a real pain.

 

[d w124]

"Dear Applicant"??

YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS?

Scam, scam, scam, scam, scam all day long. LOL

Cheers,
Robert

It was the Senior Manager that done it for me

 

[Dryce]

It's a bit scary that you had to ask!

Well bear in mind that the genuine HMRC stuff can get marked out as being a potential scam by some filters because the email and links refer to a third party communications management organisation they use.

So it's not clear cut to a lot of people as to what is genuine and what is not and the warnings are not consistent.

 

[Bellow]

The first paragraph doesn't even make sense.

 

[GLK]

I did this one six years ago, based on american joke ... mailed it to a mate in a brown, franked envelope ... you should've seen him (he'd often pop in for a "what does it mean" chat with one or another bit of official paperwork - nice chap, but not the sharpest knife in a drawer) ... he was livid - had to stop him mid-sentence, as I was worried he might pull it out to determine the tax band! LOL

 

[st13phil]

A couple of other pointers to help identify scams that purport to come from UK state organisations:

1. I've noticed that genuine emails from government departments are generally plain text, with no graphics and that the text description for any hyperlink is always the same as the hyperlink itself. I suspect this is a deliberate policy so as to make obfuscation of links etc. more obvious
2. If you hover over a link (rather than clicking it), most mail clients will give either a pop-up or a status bar message showing the real destination of that link

 

[j.schmeltzer]

The poor grammar is a giveaway.