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Original poster

To think this was a scam and to have hung up?

145 replies

looseddaughter · 30/10/2020 08:26

I'm sure it was but feel a bit unnerved now. Had a phone call claiming t be from HMRC accusing me of committing tax fraud and saying there is a warrant out for my arrest and my assets will be frozen (bank account seems fine - just checked it). The man sounded foreign and it wasn't convincing at all. I ended it when he kept saying 'why did you do such a thing, m'am?'

I didn't give any details except confirming my house number and postcode, which I obviously regret now. Did I do right to end it and can I report it to someone?

OP posts:
Sargass0 · 30/10/2020 08:28

Yes - well known scam- google it

AdoptAdaptImprove · 30/10/2020 08:30

Oh yes! definitely a scam. They usually come in the form of recorded messages rather than live action, so you are clearly rather special.

DanceThen · 30/10/2020 08:30

Yes of course irs a scam. Have you commited tax fraud? HMRc arent going to randomly prosecute someone without any warning who hasnt done anything wrong

Cornishmendoitdrekkly · 30/10/2020 08:31

My 82 year old Mum had this the other day. DEFINITELY a scam. Relax.....you have done nothing wrong.

DamitJanet · 30/10/2020 08:31

It’s a scam, they leave voicemails too if you don’t answer.

notanotheronepleasee · 30/10/2020 08:32

I got this yesterday and yes it is a scam

Hendalle · 30/10/2020 08:32

Definitely a scam OP.
There’s no way you’d end up in trouble with HMRC and the first you’d hear about it was via the phone and with the threat that you’d be arrested, no way. You were right to hang up on them.
I’m not sure if you can report to action fraud if it was an attempt rather than they have defrauded you but might be worth a look on the website.

AlwaysCheddar · 30/10/2020 08:33

Of course it’s a scam ffs

CuriousaboutSamphire · 30/10/2020 08:33

Yes, it's a scam. I had one last week. I was sat looking at my email from HMRC about SEISS at the time Smile

ilikebooksandplants · 30/10/2020 08:33

I’ve had this too but I haven’t been involved in any tax fraud so it’s not a very good scam. I ignored it but I would be interested in knowing if there is anywhere to report it to because it pissed me off and I hate the thought of vulnerable people being anxious about it/potentially scammed.

PleasantVille · 30/10/2020 08:33

Yes, that one's being doing the rounds for absolutely ages, no need to report it everyone who'd be in a position to do anything about it already knows.

And as a general point you don't need anyone's permission to not give your personal details or put the phone down in any situation.

Original poster
looseddaughter · 30/10/2020 08:37

I do feel stupid for even entering into it for a moment Blush. His tactic of endlessly saying 'why did you do such a thing?' seems odd - presumably if I'd not hung up he'd then have asked for money but if you know you haven't 'done such a thing' you wouldn't pay?

OP posts:
StillCoughingandLaughing · 30/10/2020 08:37

It’s a scam - I’ve had the same call. What puzzles me is that an awful lot of effort must go into putting these together; yet the one very obvious detail they’ve screwed up is the automated voice having an American accent. Surely that must be a warning sign for anyone receiving a call supposedly from UK HMRC?

I had another one the other day saying my internet connection had been used to carry out illegal activity. Hung up on them too.

MarriedtoDaveGrohl · 30/10/2020 08:39

I had that the other morning. "Her Majesty's revenue and customs" in a tinny voice. From India by the sounds of it. Obvs a scam as they would always just say hmrc. They said that if I didn't want to discuss it I should just wait to be taken to prison and at that point I gave them an earful,

But they must make millions from the vulnerable. I wonder how many lives have been ruined?

knittingaddict · 30/10/2020 08:41

I've had this and so has my daughter. It's a scam. If it's an automated message I just mutter under my breath and put the phone down. If it's a person then I give them a sarcastic one liner and cut them off.

AdaColeman · 30/10/2020 08:41

Yes, this scam is rife at the moment.

Winterfellismyhome · 30/10/2020 08:42

Theres an alert on the Santander app about this, definitely a scam

knittingaddict · 30/10/2020 08:44

@looseddaughter

I do feel stupid for even entering into it for a moment Blush. His tactic of endlessly saying 'why did you do such a thing?' seems odd - presumably if I'd not hung up he'd then have asked for money but if you know you haven't 'done such a thing' you wouldn't pay?
They rely on the elderly, confused and vulnerable answering the phone and being taken in by it. Maybe get 1 in a 1,000 to buy it (no idea of the real figures). They are scum and I hate them.
Maray1967 · 30/10/2020 08:47

Yes, relatives had a variant of this one a while back and it was a live person calling.

Meepmeeep · 30/10/2020 08:49

As soon as I log into online banking it’s flashes up right away as a warning that it’s a current scam.

SummerOfComedy · 30/10/2020 08:50

I heard on the radio that HMRC will never ring,text or email you.
They will always write to you.

There's plenty of these scams on YouTube.

LooksLikeImStuckHere · 30/10/2020 08:51

I had the same call. They did say a warrant would be issued for my arrest and I hung up.

I’m still waiting for the police to turn up. It’s been a couple of months now but I guess they are busy.

DappledThings · 30/10/2020 08:52

Happens all the time. Alternate with the one saying my Amazon Prime account is about to expire.

I only get a couple of calls a week on the landline and 99% are scammers. I answer but don't say anything. If they are a really person they will start saying something. Otherwise they hang up.

NetflixWatcher · 30/10/2020 08:54

Well known scam OP you did the right thing.

Fairyliz · 30/10/2020 08:56

If you have time it can be fun to string these along, at least it stops them bothering anyone else.
The last one gave me a name and I asked him if his mum would be proud of him trying to scam people for a living. He put the phone down on me!

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