To ask to share scams and if anyone has had this HMRC scam?

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Just had a call from an 0300 number on my mobile very similar to HMRCs number.

The automated voice told me there was a fraud case opened under my name (no name given) to press 1 to be connected otherwise if I terminated the call I would shortly be arrested. I hung up and rang the number back. An automated service told me to input my 10 digit tax code if I had it and wait to speak to an advisor. I then hung up again.

This is a new one on me. Anyone else had this scam or any other scams? I get them on my landline but it’s always bt disconnecting my internet service. This one was actually pretty scary sounding.

[homemadegin]

And yes @onthenaughtystepagain I work the same theory and thought I had drummed it into them.

[Firstworddinosaur]

@homemadegin I'm really sorry this happened to your family. My elderly mum nearly fell for one and only by chance we caught it. Makes me sick to my stomach.

[BlueSuffragette]

It's a scam. Ignore. HMRC would only ever write to you. Do not engage with the scammers. Block and ignore.

[OftenHangry]

@homemadegin

This is quite understandable when they had all that info😮 Usually they are quite generic. It's possible they found info on companies house because there are end of year accounts available to see. Imho, that's a problem, because one thing that gives them normally aways is that they don't know anything!

Scammers doing a proper research is fucking frightening.

[HedgerowTree]

@Duchessgummybuns I need to know more about this mail thing you can sign scammers up to!

[caughtinanet]

HMRC would only ever write to you

That's not true for me, I get genuine emails from them as, I assume, do others who have opeted for paperless communicationon.

They don't ask you to click on any links and are clear that you have to log onto your account for more information.

Don't assume everything is a scam

[sueelleker]

I get the occasional email saying there is a problem with my Virgin Media payments, and I'm about to be cut off. Hasn't happened yet.

[agentdaisy]

I had similar scam calls. I had a missed call from an 0300 number and they left an automated voicemail. The automated message was in an American accent and threatened that if I didn't call their "hotline" number within the next 24 hours a warrent would be issued for my immediate arrest and I'd be sent to prison.

The American accent on the automated voicemail and the use of hotline and other Americanisms were red flags for me. Luckily I'd heard of similar scams so used a different phone to contact hmrc with the phone number for a genuine letter I'd had from them and they confirmed that the voicemail wasn't from them.

It was quite a scary voicemail tbh and I can see why people would call the number left in the voicemail instead of taking the time to make sure its a genuine hmrc number.

[MyBoiledEggIsTooSoft]

Scary and Silvery....oh you are my heros!!! I have received this - in addition to calls from every scammer / telemarking guy under the sun. Next time I will talk Danish at them . And if they keep speaking, I will continue in Danish, slow and loud, this has just improved my day

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Goodness. Just realised this thread has had some more replies.
@homemadegin
I’m really sorry your pils were scammed in this way. I think it was reckless of the second bank to continue to release payments when they had been warned. Under these circumstances, is there really no way you can recoup any monies? This sounds negligent tbh. But Idk the law / rules etc on this.

Duchess
onthenaughtystep
Your posts did make me laugh. Details of mailbait www.mailbait.info. Never heard of it before. Why on Earth would you want to fill up your inbox?🤷‍♀️

[RockNRollNerd]

@homemadegin. Have you reported this to HMRC as given they had lots of correct details it sounds like someone at HMRC is either selling data or they’ve had a data breach. Insist on it being passed to HMRC security and don’t just leave it with their helpdesk.

Whilst they can’t do anything about scammers spoofing their numbers and claiming to be from HMRC they should realise that what happened to your in laws can only be done with actual HMRC data if I’ve understood what happened correctly

[SilverySurfer]

I think you can pretty much guarantee that they won't understand a word MyBoiledEggs most of them have problems with English so Danish will blow their minds

My other favourite is calls from scummy solicitors. They seem to assume I've been in a car accident, so I go to great lengths to describe the horror of the accident. You can almost hear them rubbing their hands in glee. Then they ask if they can represent me and sue the other driver and I eventually explain unfortunately that won't be possible. 'Why is that they enquire'? 'Because I am dead' I reply. Cue lots of swearing and handset being smashed down

[AstonishedFemalePersonator]

results in a muffled scream

I so love this scenario.

[AstonishedFemalePersonator]

I am also entertained by the idea of Silvery being dead.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Silvery
I’ve heard the “I am dead” one before. Idk if it’s from you or someone else. Brilliant idea.😂😂

[Iwanttobeanonymous]

I agree with caughtinanet. I recently did an assessment and all correspondence from tjat was by email.
But there's another side to these scams which is actually persuading banks that your "unusual" request to transfer money to HMRC is genuine!!!

[homemadegin]

@RockNRollNerd yes, hmrc police and banks formally.

I have done a complaint to second bank only but I don't think it will help. There seems to be new rules coming out in june to force receiving bank to be accountable. So when name, account and sort code don't match they can hold payment.

[e1y1]

The video on that daily fail link of "Indian call centre threatening U.K. with threat of prison" is shameful

Federal? Attorney? Lawyer? Police department?

Really?.

If these Indian gentlemen are going to pretend to threaten British residents, then they'd better learn British terminology and quick.

[e1y1]

Oh have just seen agentdaisy has mentioned similar.

[coolcateli]

It's better to just ignore those calls. I personally never answer calls if I'm not familiar with the numbers. They spoof random numbers. They sometimes also spoof real institutions' numbers, so that some people will think that the callers are really coming from those institutions. I have read thousands of reports and warnings filed at social media sites and some like whycall.me about these scams since years ago. I think people should be very familiar with them by now.

[Wincarnis]

I regularly get “Microsoft” calls..(.ie Indian call center pretending to have messages from my computer and I must pay them to fix it...)
one day I told the caller i couldn’t possibly be sending messages to Microsoft as I didn’t have a computer.
“You don’t have a computer? You are LYING, Madam! “

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Those call centres drive me insane! The Americanisms. I’m not ma’am ffs. But what is described above sounds far more sophisticated and frightening.

[MsTSwift]

I got an unpleasant email sent from my own business account threatening they had hacked in and were going to send all my clients screen shots of the sites I had accessed recently. Guess they banking on the fact most men access porn and would be horrified. Frankly my clients finding out I am a mumsnetter and read the guardian and mail online is probably not career ending

[MsTSwift]

Silvery sorry to hear about your mil. A clients father did the same remortgaged his house they took everything. He tried to pursue the bank but no liability there if their client instructs them to do something they do it. Do you have a lasting power of attorney for her?

[AuditAngel]

Last time I got a call from Microsoft, I asked “are there really still people falling for this old scam?” They didn’t want to talk to me?