The letter is addressed from “Indv and Small Business Compliance” at HMRC. It states that, in response to a recent government initiative, the recipient of the letter should send certain documents to HMRC by email. The documents include the business’ bank statements, accounts and VAT return, and a copy of the driving license for each director.   

HMRC’s advice 

A HMRC spokesperson has confirmed that the letter is fraudulent and has given advice on how to stay safe online.  

People should protect their information. This means taking a moment to think before parting with money or information, and using strong and different passwords on all accounts. 

If a phone call, text, letter or email is suspicious or unexpected, the person should not give out private information, reply to it, download attachments or click on links. The person should not trust caller ID on phones as numbers can be spoofed. It is possible to check on GOV.UK that the contact is genuinely from HMRC, although this has not yet been updated for the recent letter.   

If the person is unsure about an item of correspondence they should report it to HMRC. They should contact their bank immediately if they’ve had money stolen, and also report it to Action Fraud. In Scotland, they should contact the police on 101.  

Further information 

For more advice on how to stay safe online, visit the new Home Office ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ website.