Taxpayers are being targeted by criminals who are pretending to be from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and demanding immediate payment for bogus tax bills.
As an example, Humberside Police reported two such calls in which the fraudsters told their victims that they had unpaid tax bills. One woman was told she owed £860 in income tax payments and would be taken to court if she did not pay on the spot.
Fortunately, she did not pay, as she realised it was a scam but her report prompted Humberside Police to issue a warning to try and prevent this happening to anyone else who might not be so savvy.
As a police spokesman pointed out, a genuine representative of HMRC would never ask for bank details or payment over the phone, so any caller who asks for such details should be ignored and reported to the police.
He added that if the person believed it may be genuine call, they should ask for the phone details and where the caller is based and then look up those details themselves. As he pointed out, the person should not rely on the number the caller gave them and if the caller is genuine, they will not have a problem with sharing additional information.
He also asked anyone who received such a call to pass on the warning and advice to anyone with vulnerable friends or relatives, as this could prevent them falling victim to the scam.
Anyone who receives a call they are suspicious about should call Action Fraud and/or report it online.
