HMRC Telephone Scam Warning
28 March 2019
We have been alerted to yet another telephone scam where bogus callers are posing as HMRC, threatening court action for tax avoidance and non-payment of a tax bill and saying a summons for arrest has been issued.
HMRC takes security very seriously and this is a further reminder that you need to be alert. If you cannot verify the identity of the person making the call you should not disclose your personal details or call them back.
You should report these incidents on the Action Fraud website or you can call them on 0300 123 2040 (Please note this number will be charged at your normal network rate). They are open Monday to Friday 09:00 - 18:00.
A reminder that:
You will never get an email, text message or phone call from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) which:
- Tells you about a tax rebate or penalty
- Asks for your personal or payment information
Always check HMRC’s guidance on recognising scams if you’re not sure.
You can report something suspicious to HMRC’s phishing team, for example:
- A text message (forward it to 60599 - you’ll be charged at your network rate)
- An email
- Details of a phone call asking for personal information or threatening a lawsuit
If you do receive a suspicious phone call, you can help HMRC’s investigations by providing HMRC phishing team - ([email protected]) with:
- The caller’s phone number
- The date of the call
- A brief description of the call
To learn more about dealing with phishing and scams visit GOV.UK. You can also refer to HMRC security advice.