A call says it is HMRC. How do you know it is real?

The problem

A voicemail or call says it comes from HM Revenue and Customs. It may say that you owe tax, that something is wrong with your records, or that you need to act on a pension. The voice is calm or urgent, and it asks for a call back or for details such as bank information.

Some HMRC calls are real, which is why the question needs a proper answer. HMRC does make calls, and GOV.UK publishes pages that let you check them.

How it can happen

Scammers know the name HMRC carries, and they try to use it. Caller ID gives no certainty. GOV.UK warns not to trust the number on your phone display, because numbers can be spoofed.

A fake call usually brings pressure and a request. It might ask you to confirm your date of birth, National Insurance number or bank details, or to pay a sum immediately. A genuine call is different on one key point. GOV.UK says HMRC will never ask for personal or financial information during a call.

How to avoid it

1. Do not share details. If you are asked for personal or financial information on a call, end it.
2. Check the number. The GOV.UK page says the number HMRC may call from, or leave voicemails from, is 0300 200 3884. It is not a number for general enquiries. Be aware that a spoofed call may still display it, so it is a clue but not proof.
3. Check the type of call. GOV.UK lists the genuine calls it expects. These include debt management voice prompts that give payment details or a helpline number, and pension scheme follow-up calls running from 29 June 2026 to 31 December 2026 to people who have not moved their schemes to Managing Pension Schemes online.
4. Use the list. If a call is not on that page, GOV.UK points to its guidance on genuine HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method, and to a collection that lists genuine HMRC contacts.
5. Contact HMRC yourself. Use a number you have used before or one from official letters, and look up official contact details by searching GOV.UK.
6. If you use call blocking, the page advises making sure 0300 200 3884 is allowed, so genuine calls can reach you.
7. Report it. GOV.UK has a page on how to report suspicious emails, websites and text messages, and HMRC has a page for reporting suspicious phone calls, emails and texts.

If you feel unsure about a pension call, it can help to ask a family member to look at the GOV.UK page with you. Our general guide to checking a government call gives the same steps in a form you can use for any agency, and how to report a scam in the UK lists the routes for texts, emails and money lost.

Things to watch

• A request for bank details, a National Insurance number or a password on a call.
• Pressure to pay now or to avoid something unpleasant.
• A voicemail that gives only a mobile or unfamiliar number to call back.
• A caller who will not let you hang up and check.
• A claim that you are owed a refund, followed by a request for your details.

HMRC and GOV.UK offer plain ways of checking, and using them does not offend anyone. A real HMRC matter will still be there after you have confirmed it.