HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has this week issued a warning that fraudsters are targeting the public in a new form of identity fraud - hijacking Government log-ins and national insurance details via social media for the purposes of making false tax self-assessment claims by proxy - and pocketing the cash.

The warning comes days after after a Shotley peninsula person was almost caught out by a scammer.

Mr X, who asked not to be identified, told Nub News: "I have been working offshore and got a call saying I was due a refund.

"He sounded plausible at first but I was uncomfortable with some of the details he was asking for and hung up.

"I checked online and realised it was probably a scam so blocked his number."

Chartered accountancy firm RIFT Tax Refunds, a personal tax refunds specialist, provided the following advice to ensure that you do not fall foul of scammers:

No legitimate tax refund firm will ask for your personal details over Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. If you see a Google Ad or a display ad on social media that suggests you provide any personal details then you may assume that its dodgy.

The most foolproof way to ensure that you tax refund is being undertaken legitimately is to seek recommendations from friends or colleagues that have engaged a professional firm previously.

Google them - a legitimate tax refund firm will have a significant digital footprint. Not just a website but a social media history and, importantly, a history of press and media coverage (positive, of course).

Do not pay anything up front. Established tax refund specialists will work on a 'no win-'no fee' basis and will not ask you for money on account or a 'registration fee'.

Above all - if you speak to a company that purports to be a genuine tax refund agency and it doesn't seem or sound right, then it probably isn't

Bradley Post, CEO of RIFT Tax Refunds, said: "There seems to be no limit to the lengths that scammers will go to defraud the hardworking public of their money and the latest ruse is to adopt a person's HMRC credentials and to purport to be that person when filing for tax refunds.

"Tax refunds themselves are a little known, largely untapped source of annual finance and those working within construction, training and energy sectors, as well as the military, are often the most frequently owed a refund by HMRC due to the fact they work from temporary or numerous locations on a regular basis.

"Perhaps it is the general failure to claim these refunds that has caught the attention of fraudsters who see them as easy money should they be able to access the required details to submit one.

As with any process, particularly one involving your financial welfare, ensure that the company you are dealing with is legitimate and should anyone ask for payment or personal details upfront or via platforms such as social media, cease communication with them immediately."