A letter that asks the recipient to verify financial information with HMRC has not been issued by HMRC, and is fraudulent.

The letter is addressed from “Indv and Small Business Compliance” at HMRC. It states that, in response to a recent government initiative, the recipient of the letter should send certain documents to HMRC by email. The documents include the business’ bank statements, accounts and VAT return, and a copy of the driving license for each director.

HMRC’s advice

A HMRC spokesperson has confirmed that the letter is fraudulent and has given advice on how to stay safe online.