HMRC has been raising awareness of voice scams impersonating HMRC, stating that it will never use robotic recorded voice calls to contact customers.
HMRC highlights that these calls typically take the format of an automated voice call claiming to represent HMRC, threatening legal action unless payment of a tax debt is made immediately. The caller spoofs a valid HMRC telephone number in the caller ID field and provides a return number for victims to call to facilitate payment.
Once the customer makes contact they are advised that a legal action against them is underway and they owe HMRC differing amounts, usually demanding payment in the region of £4k for proceedings to be halted. This approach has been described as aggressive, threatening, and very convincing.
If your practice or a client receives such a call, send details to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk (including the telephone number that was presented by the call (caller ID), any number you have obtained by dialling 1471 after the call and the telephone number the scammer requested the call back on).
If you or your clients have suffered any financial loss as a consequence of one of these calls please report this to Action Fraud
