The Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department (IRD) issued a public advisory on 22 July 2026 warning residents about a spike in fraudulent e-mail messages that impersonate senior tax officials. The deceptive e-mails claim that the recipient owes outstanding taxes and must settle the amount immediately by clicking a link to download a tax bill. The IRD emphasized that it never sends payment requests via e-mail, nor does it include clickable links requesting personal data. Recipients are advised to delete such messages without opening attachments and to refrain from entering any information on suspicious sites. Fraudsters often create a sense of urgency, demanding payment within 48 hours, and may embed malicious code that can install keyloggers or ransomware once the link is accessed. The Department is working with law-enforcement agencies to identify the source of the malicious infrastructure. Citizens are urged to report suspicious e-mails to the IRD anti-fraud hotline at +852 1234 5678 or via the online reporting portal. Genuine tax communications are delivered through official postal mail or the e-Tax portal; any e-mail bearing the department’s logo but containing external links should be considered fraudulent. This advisory forms part of a broader cybersecurity awareness campaign aimed at protecting Hong Kong taxpayers.
Key Takeaways
- Scam Alert: Fraudulent e-mails mimic official tax notices and demand urgent payment.
- No Legitimate Links: The IRD never sends payment requests via e-mail with clickable links.
- Reporting: Suspicious messages can be reported to the IRD hotline or online portal.
Source: Read Original Announcement