- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued a warning to TikTok users about a suspected £153 million tax fraud scam, urging the public not to share sensitive tax details online.
- The alleged scheme involved individuals posting adverts on TikTok, promising financial rewards in exchange for users' VAT registration or self-assessment credentials.
- These details were then purportedly used to submit fraudulent tax repayment claims to HMRC, with the department's fraud detection systems blocking £153 million in claims.
- Two Romanian men, aged 22 and 25, were arrested in east London on 23 April in connection with the alleged fraud, interviewed under caution, and subsequently released on bail.
- HMRC cautioned that victims who share their tax information risk identity theft, frozen bank accounts, and potential liability for repayment or prosecution.
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