Be aware of fake letters from scammers posing as HMRC, Companies House and other government departments

Limited company directors (including contractors and freelancers with a personal service company) are being targeted by scammers posing as HMRC, Companies House and other government departments. Therefore, it’s extremely important that you read all correspondences carefully and do not make any payments or take action unless you are entirely satisfied the letters you have received are legitimate. Keep reading for more information, including an example of a fraudulent letter and links to helpful, official government guidance.

How can you spot a fake letter from HMRC, Companies House or a government body?

Unfortunately, criminals posing as government organisations to try and scam company directors is not a new phenomenon. However, we believe this type of malicious criminal activity is increasing, and newly launched companies are being targeted the most.

In an example of a malicious letter we have seen, the criminals behind it made it clear they were not a government organisation. However, the letter was written and designed in a style that impersonated a fake legislative organisation by using logos, complicated language and threatening tones that suggested that if no action was taken, the client who received the letter could face a penalty. In the letter itself, the people behind it were trying to trick the company director into paying £48.00 to “Confirm Your Company Details & Activate Secure Vault”.

Most, but not all, of the scam letters we have seen require the recipient to visit a website to make payment and seek further information. We urge all readers only to visit these websites if you are entirely confident they are legitimate, and the letter has officially been sent from a government body or department. These websites could contain harmful viruses and cause serious security issues, such as data breaches and the unethical capture of your personal information.

While not always the case, it does appear that criminals are specifically targetting newly registered limited companies, perhaps because they believe these directors will have less knowledge on the formalities of registering and running a business – making them easier targets.

Information about limited companies is publicly available on Companies House, which is how criminals are obtaining data and targetting limited company directors. Therefore, every limited company director must be aware of the threats of malicious, deceitful letters from criminals posing as government officials – to ensure you do not become a victim of fraud.

What should you do if you believe a letter or piece of information sent to you is fraudulent?

If you receive any correspondence from the government or a government-associated body that you believe is malicious, or contains suspicious information, here is some advice:

• Do not visit any websites that are referenced.
• Speak with your accountant to ask for advice and a second opinion.
• Do not make any payments or reply to the letter.
• Contact the government body using the official contact channels available on the government’s website, to check the message is legitimate.
• Read up on the government guidance available to help limited company directors identify malicious correspondence (more information below).
• Seek advice from fellow limited company directors if you have any helpful contacts (friends, family, colleagues).

Report scam letters directly to HMRC

The government’s website has the information you need to share scam letters with HMRC. Reporting scam letters is important to help alert HMRC about criminal activity and to protect other citizens. Please click here for more information. If you are a Churchill Knight client, please also report any suspicious content to your Churchill Knight Account Manager.

Read the latest government guidance to check if a letter you’ve received is genuine

Published in 2021 and last updated in September 2023, the government has released guidance to help you check if a letter you’ve received from HMRC is genuine. To read the government’s guidance, please click here.

Contact your Account Manager if you have any questions

If you are a Churchill Knight client and have any questions about the documentation you have received from HMRC or you’re concerned that you may have received a scam letter, please do not hesitate to contact your Account Manager, who is on hand to assist.