Tax season is here and unfortunately so are the scammers and fraudsters.
This is their Christmas and they come bearing a new way to get their hands on your hard earned money.
So, what’s the scam?
Scammers and fraudsters will call you claiming to be HMRC.
They’ll offer you a rebate once you pay a fee. They may also pretend you have to urgently pay a fine or you’ll be arrested.
To make it worse, these criminals can also change their phone numbers to make it look like you’re getting a genuine call from HMRC. They may even ask you to check the number online to validate it and build your trust.
If they call, what should I do?
HMRC will never contact you over the phone demanding payment at the risk of consequences or ask you to make a payment in return for a larger rebate afterwards.
If you’re contacted by someone claiming to be from HMRC or the Police, hang up and contact them independently via the contact numbers listed on their official website.
Here’s a few bonus tips on avoiding scams this tax season
- Stop and contact HMRC before you proceed with making any payments to a new beneficiary. UK Government banking account sort codes are 08-32-XX . If the payment you’re making isn’t to this Sort Code, it’s highly likely it’s a scam.
- HMRC and other tax authorities will NEVER contact you over the phone demanding payment.
- HMRC and other tax authorities will NEVER ask you to pay anyone else, like a solicitor or agent.
- HMRC and other tax authorities will NEVER tell you which buttons to press.
- They will never ask you to download software to allow someone else to view your screen and tell you to ignore payment warnings.
If any of the above is happening to you, it’s likely you’re being scammed and it may not be easy to recover your money if it leaves your account. Be aware and be safe from the fraudsters.
If you are in any doubt contact HMRC directly https://www.gov.uk/contact-hmrc and they will be able to assist you,
