HMRC is encouraging people to check that any email purporting to be from the taxman is genuine before you make any effort to respond and potentially fall foul of a phishing or other fraudulent email scam.
It has created a page that allows you to check what emails HMRC is actually sending out, so you can determine whether the one you have received is genuine, and whether you should respond to it.
How do I check?
The website can be found on Gov.uk and lists the emails from A to Z that HMRC is sending out, when it started to send them, and the kind of information you can expect them to be including in the email.
For example, for emails related to Child Benefit claims updates and the Cryptoassets educational email, the site states:
From 8 July 2024, HMRC may contact you by email.
HMRC may contact you by email if you’ve made a claim for Child Benefit, to confirm that your claim has been received and is being progressed. HMRC will use the email address that you have provided. The emails have the title ‘Thank you — we’ve received your Child Benefit claim’.
These emails will never ask you for any personal or financial information. If you’ve already contacted HMRC about Child Benefit you can check the status of your claim.
The Cryptoassets educational email section states:
From 8 July 2025 HMRC may send you an email if you have been trading in cryptoassets.
The email will:
- Explain what you need to do if you receive and dispose of cryptoassets.
- Explain what a disposal is.
- Link to a YouTube video explaining how cryptoasset transactions are taxed for individuals.
The email will also provide links to guidance to:
- Check that you’ve declared cryptoasset activities correctly.
- Report your cryptoasset income and gains.
- Check if you need to pay tax when you sell cryptoassets.
These emails will never ask you for any personal or financial information.
Source: Gov.uk.
Let us help you
If you want help to make sure you are dealing with a genuine email from HMRC, then please get in touch with us and we will do what we can to help you if you are still unsure even after consulting this HMRC page online.
