HMRC chief ‘regrets’ £49m scam disclosure frustrations

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) chief executive John-Paul Marks has told MPs that he regrets any frustration over how information about a breach affecting around 100,000 taxpayers was disclosed.

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HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) chief executive John-Paul Marks has told MPs that he regrets any frustration over how information about a breach affecting around 100,000 taxpayers was disclosed.

‘The revenue body has faced criticism and questions over why MPs were not informed earlier about the incident.

On June 4, it was disclosed that HMBC had lost £47 million after a phishing scam breached tens of thousands of tax accounts.

Following updated information published by HMRC last Tuesday, that figure was revised upwards, to £49 million.

Senior civil servants at HMRC told the Treasury Committee that 100,000 people had been contacted, or were in the process of being contacted, after their accounts were locked down in what they said was an “organised crime” incident which started last year.