Two men have been arrested over a suspected £153million TikTok tax scam, HM Revenue & Customs has revealed.
The unnamed men, who are in their twenties and from Romania, are accused of using TikTok to persuade British taxpayers to hand over tax account details with the promise of financial rewards.
Cybercrime investigators arrested the two men, aged 22 and 25, in east London at separate addresses on 23 April 2026 after blocking £153million of suspected fraudulent claims that are thought to have used personal tax details from TikTok users.
Both of the Romanian nationals were subsequently released on bail, HMRC said.
Criminals sometimes use social media to try and find people to trick or persuade into sharing their personal or sign in details, then use them to apply for fraudulent tax repayments from HMRC.
The criminals hide their own identity, which means the person whose details they have used will likely owe money to HMRC.
Arrests: Two men have been arrested over a suspected £153m TikTok tax scam
HMRC has urged people to be cautious of any online social media posts claiming ‘risk free’ financial rewards in return for sharing their personal information.
Anyone who provides their tax details risks their identity being stolen, their bank account being frozen and they may also be liable to repay the money or even face prosecution themselves, HMRC said.
HMRC said it had seen similar suspected scams across multiple social media platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat.
Simon Grunwell, head of cybercrime investigations at HMRC’s fraud investigation service, said: ‘You should protect your personal tax details in the same way you protect your bank details.
‘Claims of quick, risk-free cash in return for sharing your personal information are a scam. They aim to defraud you and the taxpayer.
‘Anyone who comes across adverts on social media or is approached in any way with promises of easy money through their tax credentials should think twice and report it on GOV.UK.’
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