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AIBU?

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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:
Trentmum · 02/03/2021 17:42

The last time I got an actual person calling me, I let them run through their spiel, then asked ‘is your Mum proud of you? Do you enjoy trying to steal money all day long? Can’t you get a better job?’. They hung up on me.

81Byerley · 02/03/2021 17:44

@DrWankincense Buy yourself a lovely loud whistle, for the next time you press #1. It will do a lot more good than a telling off!

chasingmytail4 · 02/03/2021 17:45

@sunflowersandbuttercups

Please be careful pressing 1 and "keeping them on the line" as some numbers are set up to charge you huge amounts for this.
Was just about to say the same. It's the only reason I don't press 1 tell them what I think!
starfishmummy · 02/03/2021 17:45

Accorsing to an hmrc text I got yesterday I am due a tax refund, just click the link. However as far as I know HMRC do not have an email address ebding ".ru"

Azerothi · 02/03/2021 17:46

@ChancesWhatChances

Might add, it was a mobile number that called me not a withheld/official looking number. That was the only reason I’d realised it was a scam.
If the fact it was a mobile number was the only thing that alerted you to the call being a scam you need urgently to brush up on scam safety. And I mean urgently.
butterpuffed · 02/03/2021 17:47

HMRC never ring anyone unless you have ongoing interaction with them then they tell you they'll ring you. They always write letters.

If you think a call is a scam, there's a site called Who Rang Me ~ put the number in and it'll show you if others have had calls from that number and think it's a scam, as you can make a comment saying which Company the caller said they were from and what they wanted . It's helpful for others.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 02/03/2021 17:51

I’ve had one saying that I owed a lot of Nat. Insurance (I’ve been retired for a few years) and if I didn’t press 1 immediately, and pay up, I’d be arrested.

Some poor person phoned the other day (wrong number) in a terrible tizz, because she’d had a call to say she owed a lot of money to Amazon, and if she didn’t ring such and such a number NOW...etc.

Thing was, she told me she’d never ordered anything from Amazon! But was still in enough of a tizz to have rung what she thought was the number she’d been given. Just as well she got me instead.
She sounded so relieved to be told it was a scam.

But scary to realise how easily naive people can be sucked into to these vile bastards’ schemes.

WinterIsGone · 02/03/2021 17:52

I got a woman the other day, and after keeping her talking for a bit, to stop her calling other people, I said I realised it was a scam. And why had she got herself into that situation that she was scamming people. It was wrong. We talked a bit further, and she said she went to church every Sunday etc etc. By the end, I actually felt really bad for her! Grin

Sunnyrainydays · 02/03/2021 17:53

I had this exact thing happen this morning OP. Hung up immediately. I also have had some really weird missed calls on the landline (we never use it and it's always on mute but when I happened to glance at the display there were loads of random numbers that had called). I once received a call from my own number ?! Also a few missed calls from a number with just several zeros. All very odd.

TransplantedScouser · 02/03/2021 17:54

In 2021 if you are stupid enough to fall for this scam which had been going around for years - you are either too stupid to be left in control of your affairs or you deserve it

Sunnyrainydays · 02/03/2021 17:55

My DH has had missed calls.from the Cayman Islands on his mobile before, at 3am!
The just zeros calls freak me out a bit to be honest but I don't know why!

B33Fr33 · 02/03/2021 17:55

I've had texts and calls but also one from a Cambridge number. I've stopped believing all calls! I get Amazon and Sky and Halifax a lot too. It's really tedious.

Lovethewater · 02/03/2021 17:58

I have had the HMRC one threatening arrest warrant - obvious scam but could be quite upsetting for anyone vulnerable who may be more isolated at the moment. This prompted me to see what else I could do apart from ignoring and blocking. Action Fraud have an online reporting system - really quick and easy. I have had a number of spam/phishing calls over the years but they have really ramped up recently.

bruffin · 02/03/2021 18:00

They can also spoof numbers , so pretend to be legitimate number. We had a call from someone using nat wests number, but i rang the number back and it went to real Natwest security dept and they hadnt called me.
There was also an electricity company ringing my employer 2 or 3 times a day trying to get business , everytime it was a different local number,

BettyBooth · 02/03/2021 18:01

@TransplantedScouser

In 2021 if you are stupid enough to fall for this scam which had been going around for years - you are either too stupid to be left in control of your affairs or you deserve it
Are you usually so superior?
Huginamugg · 02/03/2021 18:06

I got that one too OP. The number started with the same 5 digits of my mobile, so I answered it thinking it was a genuine call.

Flibbitygibbit · 02/03/2021 18:09

I had one Friday. Told "Christopher Brown" that I could see the police outside 🤣

feelingworthless76 · 02/03/2021 18:12

DH gets these. They spoof people's numbers. He got a missed call so called it back and a guy was like 'i've not been on my phone today.'

orangejuicer · 02/03/2021 18:12

I had this today too.

QuitMoaning · 02/03/2021 18:16

@DeepFakeQueen

The number could belong to someone genuine. They spoof random numbers.
I had someone calling me very distressed saying someone had called with this number threatening that the police were coming Round and I had to calm her down. It most definitely was not originating from my number. Numbers are indeed spoofed so do not assume the number that shows up is the number that has actually called you.

In addition do NOT press 1 and respond, no matter how much fun you may get. All you are doing is saying it is a live number and you will get more scams as your number will be sold on.

eurochick · 02/03/2021 18:21

The accident scans are the most entertaining. Mr euro always tells them he was decapitated and waits for the penny to drop...

Jenasaurus · 02/03/2021 18:26

Isnt there one of those whistles you can blow down the phone, or is that illegal?

Bedsheets4knickers · 02/03/2021 18:27

Yes I've had this too .

Jjacobb · 02/03/2021 18:29

Dh has had this phone call three times now.
They haven't caught up with him yet.