Warning: Scam HMRC calls
Legendary helpful member
Hi all,
I just wanted to alert you to another scam. I received a call on my UK mobile phone this afternoon - it was a recorded message from a man, purportedly from HMRC, saying that I was being investigated for fraud and I should press #1 to speak to an agent. If I didn't press #1, the police would come to my home and I would be arrested. As fast as I pressed #1, it dawned on me that HMRC don't make unsolicited calls, so I hung up before anyone answered.
Then I called HMRC general helpline (from UK: 0300 200 3300 / from Spain: 00 44 135 535 9022) and when I advised them what had happened, the agent told me that they're aware of the scam, they've received a lot of calls, including some from very distressed, elderly people. She made a note of the number from which I'd received the call and said she would pass it to their fraud team.
Less than a minute after hanging up, I received another call on my mobile from a Manchester number - I don't know anyone in Manchester, so I answered it with just "Hello". I could hear the line was open, so said nothing more and after a few seconds, the line went dead. I called HMRC again and asked them to add the Manchester number to their records too.
As both agents told me, HMRC does NOT make unsolicited calls to people - they will only phone you, if you request a call back - so if you receive a similar call, just hang up, make a note of the number that called you and report it to HMRC.
Stay safe,
Kim