Accountants should be even more wary than usual of communications from Revenue & Customs, as fraudsters have been using the offer of a tax refund to con people into revealing their debit and credit card details.

Targets of the phishing scam receive emails advising them that they are eligible for a tax refund, and directing them to a bogus website, which looks just like the front page of the Revenue's site. Visitors are then advised to fill in a form, which asks for a social security number, tax reference code, name and address and telephone number, plus the details of the individual's debit or credit card, so that the refund can be credited to it.

'We are very worried,' said a Revenue spokesperson. The matter has been referred to the police.