Warning to households as HMRC 'watching your social media'

Richard Guttridge
·1-min read

Households have been warned HMRC may be watching what they are posting on social media. The tax authority has the right to view public posts in cases where there may be suspicions over someone's income or payments or for other investigative reasons.

And people are being reminded that social media posts which are public can be viewed by anybody - including HMRC. They could be used as supporting evidence in cases, for example where someone claims to have less money than they do in reality.

Experts say the tax authority has beefed up its use of technology over recent years in a bid to tackle fraud boost its investigative techniques. Social media posts are "fair game" as long as they can be viewed publicly and they may be monitoring social media where there are concerns, they added.

READ MORE: July warning to everyone who claims Employment Support Allowance

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Adam Collins, of IgniteSEO, explained: "HMRC’s primary mission is to ensure that individuals and businesses are paying the correct amount of tax. In recent years, they have started leveraging technology and data analytics to enhance their investigative processes.

"HMRC can legally view and analyse any publicly available information on social media. This includes posts, photos, videos and other shared content that may suggest a lifestyle inconsistent with reported income or assets.

"While social media activity alone may not trigger an investigation, it can be used to corroborate other evidence. For example, if someone reports minimal income but frequently posts about luxury vacations and expensive purchases, this discrepancy can raise red flags.

"When social media activity is suspicious, it often leads to more comprehensive investigations. This can include audits, requests for additional documentation, and interviews."

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