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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To warn you about this mobile number?

118 replies

ChancesWhatChances · 02/03/2021 16:29

It’s a HMRC scam, received a phone call from this mobile number. There was an automated voice telling me the call was from HMRC about a tax fraud case opened in my name, if I didn’t press 1 to connect the call an arrest warrant would be issued and the police would arrive immediately. I hung up and submitted a suspicious call form to HMRC, but it took a few seconds for my brain to click it was a scam (I’ve never had a phone call scam, only text message ones!).

Would it be against talk guidelines to post the phone number here just in case anyone wants to forewarn anyone they think might fall for it?

OP posts:

Howdoin · 02/03/2021 17:11

@CounsellorTroi

I got a call from a suspected scam number, a voice mail was left so I listened to it. It was an automated message with an American accent, claiming to be from "the local courthouse" asking me to ring them back on this number. Needless to say I didn't.

DH got that call this morning, that’s a new one for us.

emilyfrost · 02/03/2021 17:15

[quote ChancesWhatChances]@emilyfrost I didn’t know that! Thought it was maybe one or two folk that rang random numbers [/quote]
It’s not even real people ringing - it’s just a machine spamming thousands of calls out a minute from various numbers until someone falls for it.

rainbowunicorn · 02/03/2021 17:17

It's not a couple of people sat in an office somewhere ringing you. It is an automated program that does thousands of calls a day. You will never see the same number twice. The tax fraud one has been around for a long time.

listsandbudgets · 02/03/2021 17:18

Apparently the compensation for an accident I had about 5 years ago has now been settled on very generous terms and I only need to give my name, date of birth , address and bank details and scan and email 2 recent household bills and a copy of my passport to confirm my identity and they will transfer the cash within 48 hours.

It all stalled when I asked them to explain again to me the details of the accident as my amnesia was appalling. Oh could you list all those requirements again please as I say my amnesia is appalling.. passport? I don't believe I have one.
let me check.. what would it look like.. and bank account...where would I find the details of that?.How do I know if I have one.. .. actually what was that list again my amnesia since the crash is awful"

The bastards hung up on me

(.with sincere apologies to anyone with real amnesia)

Lockdown is so boring at least winding these people up provides some form of entertainment.

BeatricePrior · 02/03/2021 17:18

I had one today saying I had warrants out for fraud against me and they were suspending my national
Insurance number.

I told him I was on the run and asked how did he get this number. He hung up on me.

I hope I get more I quite like winding them up.

Imapotato · 02/03/2021 17:19

I’ve had that one. I reported to the HMRC fraud team.

RedLlama · 02/03/2021 17:19

@Fairyliz

Sometimes when I am really bored I press 1 and see how long I can keep them chatting giving all sorts of stupid information. I then leave them hanging for ages whilst ‘I go upstairs to get my bank card’ which obviously takes a long time with my dodgy knees

. Stops then bothering other people.

My friend used to say “I’ll pass you over to the man of the house” and give the phone to her 4 year old 😬

LadyPoison · 02/03/2021 17:22

I get a couple of these a week at least. Just hang up.

I do like the human ones though - I thoroughly upset one the other day to the extent she was screaming at me down the phone. I just laughed and hung up.

I guess asking her what it was like to be a lying thieving scamming little bitch must have touched a nerve. Yes I was offensive. I was trying to be. ( It was one of the accident scams btw)

hotpotlover · 02/03/2021 17:24

I got exactly the same call and got connected to a "gentleman" with a strong Indian accent. He said I commited tax fraud and must pay immediately. Pretended to be HRMC. He asked me to confirm my address. When I asked him why he doesn't have my address on file and why he doesn't send a letter he got arsey with me "I'm not here to prove anything to you". We were arguing a bit on the phone and then I just screamed "Fuck off". I heard him getting really angry and aggressive, because his scam didn't work on me, and he shouted "fuck off" as wel just before I hang up the phone on him.

ProfessionalWeirdo · 02/03/2021 17:27

@Fairyliz

. Stops then bothering other people.

I also try to keep them occupied for as long as possible, for the same reason.

If I'm feeling magnanimous, I say to them: "You sound like a nice person. So why don't you get a proper job - one where you don't have to phone strangers and try to defraud them?"

BerryPieandCustard · 02/03/2021 17:28

I had this yesterday
I pressed 1 to connect as I knew it was bullshit
I listened to some hold music for a couple of minutes (not HMRC hold music) and then a lady answered with HMRC how can I help you. I could hear other operators in the background all with heavy accents that I thought were possibly Indian.
I had zero intention of giving any details so I said you called me so how can you help me?
They probably have more than one scam going so paused to think, and asked me if I was employed or unemployed, I said employed and they hang up.

I answered on speaker phone as I was busy in the kitchen and my daughter was concerned I was about to be arrested so wanted to continue to show her it was a scam.

A couple of others I know have had the same thing happen but if you tried to call the number back it was already cut off

Divebar2021 · 02/03/2021 17:30

I’ve just had an automated message on my mobile claiming to be from the National Crime agency. Apparently I’ve committed some kind of crime which is linked to my national insurance number and I needed to press 1 to speak to an agent. I really, really wanted to press 1 and find out about their investigation but I’m a police officer and it was my work mobile. Thought it safer not to sadly.

Lifeisforalimitedperiodonly · 02/03/2021 17:30

I got this one as well today. When I didn't press '1' I got cut off. I was planning to say "Oh no, I cannot believe I am going to be prosecuted! Please let me pay you a large sum of money!" but I never got the chance. hehehe

BettyBooth · 02/03/2021 17:30

I had the exact same call-up. Scared the wits out of me for a while but checking the number online it turns out it's a VOIP number so they're practically untouchable really.

thesecretvoter · 02/03/2021 17:30

I had one yesterday from HMRC - the cops were onto me! When I said I'd rather be arrested they said they meant it, so I said they'd never take me alive. I think they realised I didn't believe them - called me a motherfucker, how terribly rude

Heyahun · 02/03/2021 17:32

Me and my husband get these at least once a day from various numbers

BeatricePrior · 02/03/2021 17:34

@thesecretvoter

I've not been called a motherfcuker yet.

I shall keep trying to keep them on the phone. Scam goals

BarbaraofKent · 02/03/2021 17:34

Yes, I had one of these the other day about my NI number and an arrest warrant - it was just from a regular 07 mobile number. I did think about reporting it but then couldn't be arsed!

thesecretvoter · 02/03/2021 17:36

[quote BeatricePrior]@thesecretvoter

I've not been called a motherfcuker yet.

I shall keep trying to keep them on the phone. Scam goals [/quote]
It could be a great hobby!

viques · 02/03/2021 17:36

@LyndaSnellsSniff

My current favourite and most persistent scammer is the automated voice thanking me for my recent Amazon purchase valued at £759.

Practically the only calls we get on the landline are scammers. Still, it livens up the day.

I am living a double life it seems. According to the phone calls I am constantly buying designer trainers and i phones, in reality my last Amazon purchases were a bag of compost, some twinkly garden lights and some AA batteries.

DeepFakeQueen · 02/03/2021 17:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 02/03/2021 17:36

Please be careful pressing 1 and "keeping them on the line" as some numbers are set up to charge you huge amounts for this.

Erkrie · 02/03/2021 17:40

They've got loads of different numbers. I block them and they ring back on a new one. Very irritating.

Fuckingcrustybread · 02/03/2021 17:41

I had a message to phone a number about a tax fraud, I'd be arrested if I didn't phone back.
I did phone back from a different number- landline, she was most upset that I'd used another phone!
I asked her if she thought I was fucking stupid enough to use my mobile phone, she got even more upset. I asked her to explain the tax fraud, she then told me to fuck off and rang off.

trappedsincesundaymorn · 02/03/2021 17:42

I had one recently saying my NI number had been "compromised" and if I did not press 1 to verify my details I would be arrested within 24 hours. It was on my work phone that is not registered in my name and contains no personal information...oh and it was 3 weeks ago and I'm still waiting for the knock on my door.

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