Crime Gang Steals £47m from HMRC in Phishing Scam

In December 2024, an organised crime group successfully stole £47 million from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by accessing around 100,000 taxpayer accounts through a sophisticated phishing scam. The criminals used stolen credentials to impersonate taxpayers and submit fraudulent claims, but HMRC confirmed that no individual taxpayers lost personal funds as the fraud targeted the agency itself. HMRC responded by locking compromised accounts, removing false information, and contacting affected individuals to reassure them about their security. Although there was no direct system hack, the incident raised concerns about HMRC's data protection and its delayed disclosure to Parliament, leading to criticism from MPs. A criminal investigation involving multiple jurisdictions has resulted in several arrests. HMRC also reported that it prevented nearly £1.9 billion in similar fraud attempts during the previous year.