David Beckham to be awarded knighthood, reports suggests
He had been on the verge of receiving a knighthood in the 2014 New Year's Honours list but HM Revenue and Customs placed a red flag on his nomination due to his involvement in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, according to previous reports.
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Western Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
HMRC admits £47 million loss in breach of taxpayer accounts
Two senior civil servants at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) told the Treasury Committee that 100,000 people have been contacted, or are in the process of being contacted, after their accounts were locked down in what they said was an 'organised crime' incident which began last year. Taxpayers who are being affected will suffer 'no financial loss', according to John-Paul Marks, the chief executive of HMRC, the UK's tax authority. Mr Marks told the Committee: 'It's about 0.2% of the PAYE population, around 100,000 people, who we have written to, are writing to, to notify them that we detected activity on their PAYE account.' Asked if this applied to individual working people's PAYE accounts, not companies, he replied: 'That's right, individuals. To be clear, no financial loss to those individuals. Mr Marks added: 'This was organised crime phishing for identity data outwith of HMRC systems, so stuff that banks and others will also unfortunately experience, and then trying to use that data to create PAYE accounts to pay themselves a repayment and/or access an existing account.' An investigation into the matter, which took place last year 'including jurisdictions outside the UK', led to 'some arrests last year,' Mr Marks told MPs. Angela MacDonald, HMRC's deputy chief executive and second permanent secretary, added: 'At the moment, they've managed to extract repayments to the tune of £47 million. 'Now that is a lot of money, and it's very unacceptable. 'We have overall, in the last tax year, we actually protected £1.9 billion worth of money which sought to be taken from us by attacks.' Get your tax return done early and find out sooner if you're owed money. ⏲️ We'll let you know if you've overpaid tax after you file your Self-Assessment tax return and refund you. 💷 File today. 👇 — HM Revenue & Customs (@HMRCgovuk) June 3, 2025 Ms MacDonald stressed the breach was 'not a cyber attack, we have not been hacked, we have not had data extracted from us'. She later added: 'The ability for somebody to breach your systems and to extract data, to hold you to ransomware and all of those things, that is a cyber attack. That is not what has happened here.' HMRC said it had locked down affected accounts and deleted log-in details to prevent future unauthorised access. Any incorrect information has been removed from tax records and officials have checked to ensure no other details have been changed. People affected will receive a letter from HMRC over the next three weeks. Elsewhere, Mr Marks told MPs that HMRC phone lines were down on Wednesday afternoon, but said this was 'coincidental'. They will be 'back up and available in the morning', he added. Recommended reading: An HMRC spokesperson said: 'We've acted to protect customers after identifying attempts to access a very small minority of tax accounts, and we're working with other law enforcement agencies both in the UK and overseas to bring those responsible to justice. 'This was not a cyber-attack – it involved criminals using personal information from phishing activity or data obtained elsewhere to try to claim money from HMRC. 'We're writing to those customers affected to reassure them we've secured their accounts and that they haven't lost any money.'
Daily Mirror
19 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
DWP issues urgent warning to millions who claim benefits
You need to look out for text messages and emails from the Department for Work and Pensions The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has sent out an urgent warning across its social media channels, cautioning the millions of people on benefits to watch out for fake text messages trying to swipe their "personal or financial details". The alert has been sent to the up to 23.7 million people in Great Britain benefitting from payments that include State Pension, Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance, and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Taking to Twitter and Facebook, the DWP said "Be aware of scam text messages claiming to be from @dwpgovuk. Always be careful about links and never share personal or financial details, only engage with trusted official sources." The department has also asked anyone who's been targeted by suspicious texts to report them through under 'avoid and report internet scams and phishing'. Amidst the current cost of living squeeze, scammers are stepping up their game, posing as credible authorities like the DWP or HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) via 'impersonation scams'. There has been a spate of texts floating around, dangling bait such as 'unclaimed cost of living payments' and bogus Warm Home Discount offers. The DWP pointed out they'd never send 'direct links' for claims – interactions for Universal Credit beneficiaries typically happen through their work coach and online journal. If you receive a text and you're uncertain whether it's genuinely from a DWP department or HM Revenue and Customs, the safest course of action is to ring them for confirmation, reports Bristol Live. Simple steps to avoid scammers. Here are some quick checks everyone can perform regularly to identify and avoid potential scams. Never disclose your financial or personal details. Avoid sharing your personal or financial information with anyone. This includes refraining from jotting down your banking details. If you can commit your information to memory, this is the safest approach, but if you do need to note down your details, ensure they're stored in a secure place and not carried around when shopping. Reputable retailers will never request your PIN, CVC number or other online banking identifiers. Regularly review your bank statement. If you spot an unfamiliar transaction, it's crucial to notify your bank straight away to have the card blocked. Most banks operate a dedicated fraud action line, where you can report the theft and ask for a refund. Keep tabs on your cards. If you misplace any of your bank cards or suspect they've been nicked, you should get in touch with your bank immediately so they can freeze it. Many banks now allow you to do this via their app rather than phoning up, which can expedite the process. It might be handy to have your bank's contact details and phone number at hand, so you can reach out to them if necessary. Be cautious of dubious emails or texts. Avoid replying to text messages or emails if you're unsure about their authenticity. A good rule of thumb is to never reveal private, personal information. This includes details such as your bank account information or passwords; no reputable company should ever ask for these. Emails or texts with grammatical errors can often signal a phishing scam from an illegitimate source, so it's best to steer clear of opening these. Refrain from clicking on any links if you're uncertain about their legitimacy. Avoid downloading anything sent to you via email or text. It's recommended to have antivirus software installed, which will scan for malware and protect against phishing attacks.
Evening Standard
2 days ago
- Evening Standard
David Beckham to be awarded knighthood, reports suggests
He had been on the verge of receiving a knighthood in the 2014 New Year's Honours list but HM Revenue and Customs placed a red flag on his nomination due to his involvement in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, according to previous reports.
