A £153m TikTok tax scam plot sees two men arrested in London
HM Revenue and Customs have announced the arrest of two men suspected of a £153 million TikTok tax scam.
The unnamed men, aged in their twenties and from Romania, are accused of using TikTok to persuade British taxpayers to hand over their tax account details with the promise of financial rewards.
Cybercrime investigators arrested two men, aged 22 and 25, at separate addresses in east London on April 23, 2026, after blocking £153 million worth of suspected fraud claims thought to have used TikTok users’ personal tax information.
HMRC said both Romanian citizens were later released on bail.
Criminals sometimes use social media to find people to trick or persuade them to share personal information or login details, and then apply for fraudulent tax refunds from HMRC.
Criminals hide their identities, which means the person whose details they use is likely to owe money to HMRC.
Arrests: Two men arrested on suspicion of £153 million TikTok tax fraud
HMRC has urged people to be wary of online social media posts claiming ‘risk-free’ financial rewards for sharing personal information.
HMRC said anyone who gave their tax information could risk having their identity stolen, their bank account frozen and having to pay the money back, or even face prosecution themselves.
HMRC said it had seen similar cases of suspected fraud on many 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 banking details.
‘Demanding fast, risk-free cash in exchange for sharing your personal information is 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 the promise of making easy money through their tax credentials should think twice and report it to GOV.UK.’
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