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19 Mar 2020

Beware fraudsters offering tax refunds linked to coronavirus

With scammers attempting to cash in on coronavirus by pretending to be from HMRC offering tax refunds, here’s a helpful reminder of our tips for tackling fraud.

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Opportunistic fraudsters have been posing as officials from HMRC offering tax refunds in light of coronavirus.

It follows a scam that began earlier in the month which saw criminals pretending to be from the World Health Organisation to trick people out of their money.

We are urging all clients to be careful, avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails, and contact us if they have any concerns.

Jon Harvey, Head of Fraud at Coutts, says, “With people feeling particularly anxious about their jobs or their businesses right now, they are more vulnerable to these sorts of scams. And fraudsters are well aware of that. So please be vigilant, take all necessary precautions and, if you think you’ve been targeted, tell us immediately."

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“Please be vigilant, take all necessary precautions and, if you think you’ve been targeted, contact us immediately.”
Jon Harvey, Head of Fraud at Coutts

TOP TIPS

While Coutts has extensive measures in place to fight fraud, including Face ID technology and fingerprint authentication across our digital services, there is plenty you can do too.

Here are our STAY ALERT tips to help protect yourself:

  • Scammers trick people in lots of ways
  • Think twice before giving out personal details
  • Always hang up if you don’t think a caller is genuine
  • Your pin and login details should never be shared
  • Always check your statements
  • Listen to your instincts
  • Email addresses and phone numbers can be faked
  • Read all warnings before making payments online
  • Think twice before clicking on links

In times like these, it’s hard to believe that anyone would try to leverage the pandemic for their own gain. Sadly it’s a reality, and we hope you’re able to stay safe and alert.

Find out more about how to protect yourself from fraud

Please call us straight away on 020 7770 0011 if you’ve been targeted by a fraudster, or to report anything suspicious.