Fraudulent HMRC Legal Claim Calls Are Still Common
Be vigilant and cautious ...
Posted by Helen Beaumont on 26/04/2023 @ 8:00AM
Despite continued efforts to combat telephone scams, fraudulent HMRC legal claim calls remain a persistent issue in the UK. It's really important to remain vigilant and cautious when receiving such calls ...
If you receive a call purporting to be from HMRC that you believe to be fraudulent, it's important to report it!
In these scams, fraudsters pose as HMRC representatives and attempt to deceive individuals into providing personal information or making payments under the guise of resolving a legal matter. The scammers often employ scare tactics and urgent demands to pressure their targets into complying.
There are several steps you can take to protect yourself:
Be cautious of unknown or withheld numbers as scammers may use these to make it more difficult to trace the call back to them. It's always better to err on the side of caution when dealing with unknown numbers.
Verify the caller's identity, by asking for the caller's name, department, and extension. You can then hang up and call HMRC's official helpline to confirm the information.
Educate yourself about common scam tactics. Familiarise yourself with the tactics scammers use to deceive people, such as aggressive language, threats of legal action, or offers of refunds that sound too good to be true.
You should stay updated on the latest scams by visiting reliable news sources, such as the BBC, to keep yourself informed about the latest scams.
Share your knowledge about scams with friends, family, and colleagues. The more people are aware of these scams, the less likely they are to fall victim to them.
If you suspect you've received a fraudulent call, report it to Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. This can help authorities track down the scammers and protect others from becoming victims.
To protect yourself from these scams, it's essential to be aware of HMRC's official communication methods and to question any suspicious calls. HMRC will never request personal information, demand immediate payments, or threaten legal action over the phone.
If you receive a call purporting to be from HMRC that you believe to be fraudulent, it's important to report it to the appropriate authorities to help prevent others from falling victim to these scams.
Until next time ...
HELEN BEAUMONT
Would you like to know more?
If anything I've written in this blog post resonates with you and you'd like to discover more about HMRC legal claim calls which are fraudulent, it may be a great idea to give me a call on 01908 774323 and let's see how I can help.
Helen brings the personal tax planning experience of the top 20 tax companies to Essendon. Formerly of MacIntyre Hudson (with 45 offices nationwide), Helen worked at Chancery for more than 10 years before joining Essendon as the personal tax specialist.
Tax Planning can make a considerable difference to your tax liability. Helen has specialist knowledge and experience in tax planning and uses every opportunity to minimise your tax bill is utilised. By analysing your investments, income, profit and expenditures, Helen will provide strategic tax planning expertise that could offer significant savings, whilst delivering clear, honest advice and guidance.
When Helen is not at Essendon she spends time with her young son and likes going on long walks with the family dog.
No unauthorised use, duplication, distribution or modification to any original content contained within this blog is permitted without prior written permission of the author. All other trademarks and registered names are acknowledged.
