Businesses across Staffordshire are being warned that the end of the financial year could spark a spate of scams.
Trading Standards said the cut off in April could see criminals seeking to exploit busy finance teams dealing with tax returns.
Phishing attacks by text or email as well as direct attempts by phone to get people to give up details and information are among the tricks scammers could use.
Cllr Victoria Wilson, cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“We know from experience that criminals will always try and exploit situations such as the end of the financial year, so it’s really important to be vigilant and stay informed.
“These scams are where fraudsters try to dupe people by sending emails, phone calls and texts, which mimic supplier or government messages to make them appear authentic.
“The type of language scammers use in these attacks aim to put pressure on individuals, threatening that due dates for payments have passed and that services could be taken away or accounts closed if payments are not made immediately.
“Unfortunately, these types of attacks are getting much harder to spot and we often see an increase in them at this time of year.
“While lots of scams can appear genuine, it’s easy to fall for them, so it’s important to stop and check carefully – and, if it is a scam, please report it to the relevant organisation who will investigate.”
Cllr Victoria Wilson
Suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC can be forwarded 60599, while emails can be sent to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. People can also report tax scam phone calls to HMRC online.
