Tax scam alert

ANY online or phone demand for money at this time of year should automatically raise an alarm – is this an attempt at fraud?

“Self-assessment customers should be alert to criminals claiming to be from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC),” the tax authorities have warned.

HMRC’s interim director general for customer services, Karl Khan, added: “We know that criminals often take advantage of the self-assessment deadline to panic customers into sharing their personal or financial details and even paying bogus ‘tax due’.”

My uncle, who is kind enough to advise me on all financial matters where I tend to be all too gullible, has a point: “Assume initially everyone is a crook.”