Fraud on tax code HMRC

[Peasnbeans]

I've just registered to look at my tax code and paid employment on the Gov.co.uk website, and have found that a fraudulent company (B&D Transport, Midlands, multiple Romanian names running it and other businesses from a normal house address) have me down as THEIR EMPLOYEE and say they are paying me! And I'm paying them tax!!
How so?
I've only ever worked for the County Council as PAYE.

Help!
I've checked my Credit report - nothing weird and still an almost 100% (for what it's worth?!)

@FanSpamTastic
I've done a cursory online report there, but they're not open to speak to until tomorrow, when I shall phone them.

Although this isn't very nice OP, please be calm. A phone call to HMRC tomorrow will get this sorted. It does happen.

I've done accounts and payroll for 100's of companies, and it does happen from time to time, either fraud, or more often just a NI entering mistake by a payroll person.

https://www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account

As people are saying, someone has entered your NI Number against a new starter for that company - much more likely to just be a typo than identity fraud

When their payroll dept / accountant submits payroll to HMRC (which every company does) it’s allocated it to your record.

The only thing it’s likely to affect is your tax code - but I would give HMRC a call to let them know. They will then contact that company to let them know it’s an incorrect NI number

Chances are this was an error of NI number rather than fraud.

I don't know if NI numbers include a check digit or similar but I suspect either they do not or they're not sophisticated.

Every now and then a person claiming Universal Credit finds somebody else's salary affecting their payment via employer's Real Time Information errors. They seem to take a long time to sort out.

I have read a Facebook thread about somebody experiencing the same recently, I believe when they dug further on companies house there was about 40 companies registered at the same address

You and Yours on radio 4 have reported that bogus companies have been set up using people's addresses/I'D etc. You're doing the right thing by reporting to HMRC

Do you work for Coventry cc…they are listed on data hacking

For those asking about looking at tax history: you can also download the HMRC app. You can see this year and the previous 5 years. You do need to use the government gateway to set up your login but once you've done that it's very simple to use. You can manage tax credits and child benefit on it too.

How worrying. Hope you get it sorted.

Report anyway. Cover all bases.

Thanks everyone.
I'll begin with HMRC and continue to my employers.
No, it's not Coventry CC.
Does anyone recommend I use CIFAS? It looks like I'd pay them for 2 years 'protection' - is this different to joining each Credit Agency for about £15 per month and telling them?

I had this a few years ago and I was apparently working at a museum in Manchester when I work in London - they were using my tax allowance so I was being taxed basic rate on my actual job. Got it sorted easily enough and got a nice rebate. Think it was just an error rather than fraud.

Hi all - an update.
After 1hr 10 min on phone with HMRC today, they are investigating it.
She said "we've had quite a few of these in last few weeks".
I'm waiting for them to be in touch with me again.
They said the company / person gave my actual name as well as NI number.
They also suggested I made a report with Action Fraud, which I did.
AF told me to put my emails into here https://haveibeenpwned.com/ to see if any breaches came up for the dark web - none did, my emails are not hacked.
Thanks all - any more suggestions from anyone appreciated. @Justice4Friend sounds like this may not be a simple error after all - although they did ask if I'd done any simple invigilating?!? Why would they ask that? Made me think it might be linked to teachers pensions after all?

But, message to all - check your tax online with Gov.uk regularly!

Keep us updated OP this could help someone else that finds themselves in this position.

Let the credit agencies know etc.
Keep an eye out on those credit reports.

Keeping an eye on your HMRC account and reacting to messages is good advice.

any update op?

Nothing yet.
ALTHOUGH - I did get an email from Equifax (I signed up when this happened) to say that there had been a soft search on my account.
It was in my old name which I only use for PayPal and Next. I did place a big Next order on my account two days ago - and the name of the company performing the search is Clear score (who I thought WERE Equifax).
I've reported it to Equifax and asked them about the soft search. They will reply in two working days (so maybe Wednesday).

If anyone can explain this to me I'd be grateful.

Also - HMRC did a soft search on me on 18.9.24, the day they changed my tax code.
What is this about? Is it usual, @Justice4Friend?
Thanks

Clear Score is an app I use - it's good to keep track of your score, debts etc
It is under pinned by Equifax
If you ordered from Next, and the search is for that, I'd say that is OK.

Do you get any tax credits or benefits?

Are you sure it is HMRC?

This doesn't seem normal. Ring them on Monday ask if it was them? If so, why?

No to tax credits or benefits.

Is it possible that someone has applied for tax credits or benefits in your name?

New applications for tax credits are long gone - c2019? People getting them are being migrated en masse to Universal Credit.

Soft searches are ten a penny. Nothing more than a means of confirming ID. If you want a quote for car insurance then it'll probably result in a soft search.

I subscribe for a monthly report from Credit Karma and there are one or two most months.

As above, I'd focus on checking your HMRC account regularly to make sure the issue you reported to then has been dealt with.

I had this recently, changed jobs and had an email saying my tax code has changed.
I checked and there was an employment 'd never heard of and earnings of £300!
Anyway rang up HMRC and after a long call they said that they were looking into the company already for fraud, I'm not sure they should have told me this tbh but it's now gone from my account and tax code changed back to normal.
Always worth checking the app occasionally and having email alerts.