UK online tax returns increase along with phishing messages

Online tax returns totaled over six million people filed this year, according to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs official data, marking another record year.

Thus, by the January, 31 2009 6,429,899 people had filed returns online - three quarters of the total returns received. That is 12% higher than last year’s 5.8 million applying to HMRC’s website.

Moreover, the busiest day appeared to be Friday, January, 29, when HMRC obtained 384,638 forms.

Online filing should mean processing is cheaper for the Rev, and quicker too so if any money is owed you should receive it sooner.

Moreover, this year has seen a big year in phishing emails apparently coming from HMRC. Actually, this is not a new problem but this year has been particularly bad, one day, in October saw HMRC receive 10,000 examples of phishing mails. It expects even more in the next few weeks because many people will be expecting, or hoping, for a rebate.

The Revenue warned the number of emails promising tax rebates peaked in the week before the deadline. Many messages started with: "Following a review of your fiscal activity you are due a refund of tax of £XXX.’

HMRC spokesman stated “We only ever contact customers who are due a refund in writing by post. We never use emails, telephone calls or external companies in these circumstances. We strongly urge anyone receiving such an email to send it to us for investigation before deleting it”.