Scam calls impersonating the tax office are on the rise as HM Revenue and Customs’s (HMRC) self-assessment deadline looms.
Fraudsters are taking advantage of the period to target taxpayers with “intimidating messages”, threatening legal action or financial penalties if a payment is not made immediately.
The scam calls, which have skyrocketed by 84% since December, often involve automated messages delivered in an American-accented voice, falsely claiming to represent HMRC, according to reports from Phonely’s Who Called Me? platform.
Bryn Thompson, spokesperson for Phonely, said: “It’s disheartening to see scammers exploiting critical deadlines like the self-assessment period to intimidate individuals into compliance with fraudulent schemes.
“Raising awareness is crucial in disrupting these criminals and protecting the public from financial loss.”
One victim reported what happened during the call. They said they heard an “American accented computer voice, which begins saying something along the lines of ‘Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will engage legal action if payment is not made.'”
Another reported that the fraudsters claimed to be from the Government, informing them their “tax returns were incorrect.”
The victim added: “They got very aggressive when I asked for more information.”
A statement from HMRC reads: “Customers need to be aware of the risk of falling victim to scams and should never share their HMRC login details with anyone, including a tax agent if they have one.”
It also shared a scam “checklist,” which highlighted six red flags people should be aware of when receiving unsolicited phone calls, texts, or emails.
The list states people should be wary of the correspondence if:
- It rushes them
- It’s threatening
- It’s unexpected
- It asks for personal information like bank details
- It tells them to transfer money
- It offers a refund, tax rebate or grant.
The tax body added: “HMRC will never leave a voicemail threatening legal action or arrest.”
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