Taxpayers who are submitting their self-assessment returns online before the 31 January deadline have been warned that fraudsters are sending out scam e-mails in a bid to collect bank and credit card details. The e-mails tell recipients that they are entitled to a tax refund and, in order to receive it, must send banking information. Lesley Strathie, chief executive of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), told the BBC this was "the most sophisticated and prolific phishing scam" that HMRC had encountered. She added that anyone who receives an e-mail should send it to them for investigation.

For more on this story see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7816450.stm

For HMRC advice on the e-mails see:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/fraud-attempts.htm