Revenue.ie Tax Refund Email Scam
High RiskOverview
This phishing email pretends to be from Revenue.ie, claiming you are owed a tax refund and asking you to click a link and provide personal or banking details. The email may look very convincing with Revenue branding, but it leads to a fake website designed to steal your information.
What This Scam Looks Like
Hover over highlighted text to see why it's suspicious
Tax Refund Notification - €847.50 Owed to You
This message looks suspicious. Be careful with links and attachments.
Highlighted text= Suspicious element (hover for details)
Typical Targets
- •Anyone who pays taxes in Ireland
- •PAYE workers expecting refunds
- •Self-employed individuals
- •People who have recently interacted with Revenue
Why This Scam Works
- •Everyone likes money – a refund is appealing
- •Official Revenue branding looks legitimate
- •Many people are due legitimate refunds
- •Urgency ("claim within 5 days")
- •Fake websites look like the real Revenue site
Real Example
“A Wicklow woman received an email saying she was owed €847.50 in tax refund. The email had the Revenue logo and looked official. She clicked the link and entered her bank details and PPS number. Within days, €2,300 was taken from her account, and she received bills for a phone contract opened in her name.”
* Details changed to protect privacy. Based on reported cases.
How to Avoid This Scam
- Revenue NEVER sends refund notifications by email
- Check your tax status only through myAccount at revenue.ie
- Look at the sender's email address carefully
- Hover over links to see the real URL before clicking
- If in doubt, go directly to revenue.ie – don't click email links
- Revenue already has your details – they don't need to ask
If You've Been Caught Out
Don't panic – take these steps immediately:
- 1Contact your bank immediately to freeze your account
- 2Report to Revenue at [email protected]
- 3Report to An Garda Síochána
- 4Change passwords for any accounts that use the same password
- 5Monitor your credit for signs of identity theft
- 6Consider a fraud alert with the Irish Credit Bureau
* This information is for guidance only. Always seek professional advice for your specific situation.
Who to Contact for Help
Your Bank
Check your card
Freeze account immediately
An Garda Síochána
Local station
Report the fraud
Irish Credit Bureau
01 260 0388
Fraud alert
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