NOTTS taxpayers are being warned to look out for scam emails promising tax refunds.
The cons, known as phising, involve fraudsters sending emails offering rebates in exchange for personal, credit card or banking details.
However, people who respond risk having details sold on to organised criminal gangs and having money stolen from accounts.
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said in 2012 it got nearly 80,000 reports of the schemes.
Emails often link to a clone of HMRC's genuine website to trick unsuspecting taxpayers into handing over their details, but HMRC never sends emails about a genuine tax rebate.
Gareth Lloyd, head of digital security for HMRC, said: "HMRC does not email customers about tax refunds - we only ever contact customers who are genuinely due tax back in writing, by post.
"If anyone receives an email offering a tax rebate and claiming to be from HMRC, please send it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk before deleting it permanently."
