Getting a HMRC fraud call?
It was reported that in the twelve months leading to August 2022 there were 180,000 reports by the public of suspicious calls with 81,000 being offers of fake tax rebates by scammers.
It’s easy to get lost in the moment during a phone call, especially when the HMRC fraud call could be serious in tone.
So it’s important to be aware of the alarm bells that could present themselves.
Many who have fallen victim to these scams have highlighted that they were threatened over the phone with arrest for tax evasion.
It’s important to note that HMRC would not threaten legal action over the phone.
If you are contacted via WhatsApp or any social media channels, it’s a scam.
Before deleting the message, forward any details you have from the message to phising@hmrc.gov.uk.
Time on your side
The Customer Services Director General for HMRC, Myrtle Lloyd states;
“Never let yourself be rushed. If someone contacts you saying they’re from HMRC, wanting you to urgently transfer money or give personal information, be on your guard.”
Trust your gut
If you’re thinking “this doesn’t feel right”, then your gut feeling may well be the correct one.
To ensure that the phone call/text/email was legitimate, follow up with an email or call to HMRC just to be sure.
They can confirm whether it is genuine contact, and if it does indeed end up being an attempt of a HMRC fraud call, they will record the information and investigate further.
The warning signs
Knowing the warning signs reduces the stress that these scammers inflict.
When it comes to phone calls, if the automated call instructs you to press 1 in order to speak to a caseworker, then this is a scam and the call must be stopped immediately.
This scam has been reported by victims and worried members of the public.
The details you need to declare to HMRC are the date of the call, the content of the call, and the phone number that was used.
Scammers utilise text messages in a very cunning way.
They can come across as legitimate messages with the link looking like a standard gov.uk link.
But it’s important to know that HMRC will never ask you for personal or financial information via text.
If you or anyone you know has received this text; don’t open the link(s) in the message and email the details to phising@hmrc.gov.uk.
Additionally, you can forward the scam text to 60599 however network charges may be applicable.
Here for your help!
Sometimes, scams aren’t the only cause of stress for taxpayers.
The world of tax is incredibly complex and can change in an instant, which is why we are here to help. You can find lots more information on tax news/topics here.
Contact us
For more information on avoiding scam calls, get in touch with us.
Email us at info@stseurope.co.uk.
Send us a message via our contact page.
This guide is an informative piece and does not constitute tax advice for individual matters.
