Safe or scam? HMRC Scams

If you get a call from someone who is claiming to be from HMRC, it is possibly a scam. HMRC typically only send letters to individuals and businesses especially when notifying them of any outstanding tax arrears due. In some circumstances, HMRC uses pre-recorded voice messages that come through as a phone call, letting you know how to make a payment, they give information only, but do not connect to anyone to speak with. 

These scams usually start with someone calling from HMRC or the Supreme Court on behalf of HMRC. Sometimes the call starts with an automated message, requesting that you press 1 to speak to an advisor. The scammers are able to call from a number that can look like a genuine HMRC or Supreme Court number. This is called spoofing and is a common tactic used to add credibility to the call. It is best to always remain vigilant, end the call, wait a few minutes and manually redial the number from their website. 

It is common that during these calls, the scammer will insinuate that you are wanted for tax evasion, that there is a warrant out for your arrest and if you do not pay the fees over the phone, they will be seizing your passport and travelling in and out of the country will become impossible. They may even suggest that there is an impending arrest being organised in order to create a sense of panic. 

To further try and persuade their victims, they sometimes will send official looking documents via Whatsapp. These will contain your name and have HMRC or other official logos on them. This will say that you have to make payments in order to stop the charges against you, often there are multiple payments that are required. One to pay for the overdue tax and then further payments for solicitor/admin fees.

When asking for payment, the scammers will ask you to pay into personal accounts. They may explain that this is the name of the case handler or the lawyer dealing with the case.

So how do you check if it is SAFE or a SCAM? 

🚩 You have been called out of the blue 

🚩 There are significant threats, like impending arrests or large fines

🚩 You are being asked to make payments over the phone

🚩 You are asked to make payments into personal accounts

🚩 They are putting pressure on you to make the payment immediately 

🚩 They are sending you documents via Whatsapp 

What you can do if you are unsure if it is genuinely HMRC calling: 

• If you are called by someone claiming to be from HMRC or the Supreme Court, end the call immediately 

• After you have waited a few moments, manually enter the genuine HMRC number 0300 200 3300 to discuss the case with them 

If you are ever unsure whether or not you are speaking with HMRC, call the number on the back of your bank card and speak to your bank’s fraud team.

If you have lost money to this type of scam, Refundee can help you get your money back from your bank and you can fill in our fraud refund claim form for a free consultation. Our fee is 15% plus VAT on anything that we get back, and we don't charge anything if we are not successful. For larger cases, the fee is subject to a maximum of £10k plus VAT per case.   

Remember, you don’t need to use a company like Refundee - you could work your case yourself for free! If you’d like to get a refund yourself. You can do this by following the ‘Claim Yourself’ guide here: https://www.refundee.com/claim-yourself