TikTok users in UK are being warned to keep an eye out for tax scams after two men were arrested in east London over an alleged scheme involving £153 million in fraudulent claims. The pair, aged 22 and 25, have been accused of luring Brits into giving away their personal tax details by offering financial rewards over the app.
Investigators believe they then used those details to lodge false claims worth tens of millions of pounds, claims which were ultimately blocked by HMRC. The tax body is now urging social media users to be skeptical of posts that promise “risk-free” rewards in return for their tax information.
That information, HMRC warned, is then used to apply for fraudulent tax repayments. Because the criminals hide their identity, it is the person whose details were used who will owe money to HMRC as a result. Similar scams are also run on apps such as Instagram and Snapchat.
Simon Grunwell, HMRC’s head of cybercrime investigations, told users to “protect your personal tax details in the same way you protect your bank details.” He added: “Claims of quick, risk-free cash in return for sharing your personal information are a scam. They aim to defraud you and the taxpayer.”
The two Romanian men involved in the alleged TikTok scheme were arrested in Newham on April 23. They were accused of offences under the Fraud Act, the Serious Crime Act, the Computer Misuse Act, and the Proceeds of Crime Act. Both have since been released on bail, and the investigation is ongoing.