A report released by UK Finance revealed that there has been over £1.3 billion stolen by fraudsters in 2021.
This problem continues to blight individuals and businesses with scammers becoming increasingly savvy at creating fraudulent letters pretending to be HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Despite an increasing shift to paperless communications, many unsuspecting individuals will have received printed letters that, at first glance, look genuine.
The latest scam sees individuals receiving letters claiming that they have been automatically enrolled to submit VAT returns online.
The letters then proceed to ask people to contact “their appointed agent” on an 0845 number which no longer belongs to HMRC.
If you believe you have been targeted by someone pretending to be from HMRC we have created a checklist to help you spot and verify a letter’s authenticity.
Spotting a fraudulent letter: top tips
If you have received a letter claiming to be from HMRC, there are small but important details you can check to verify if the letter is genuine.
Spotting grammatical or spelling errors in the letter is a dead giveaway, look at the following:
- Postcode
- Address
- Contact details listed in the letter
You should also be wary of a letter demanding immediate payment or requesting bank details.
On first contact, HMRC will never demand immediate action or request banking details from an individual.
More information can be found on the HMRC website here.
Need advice?
Our team of advisors are ready to help you verify any letter you might have received from HMRC.
Contact us today for specialist advice.
