HM REVENUE & Customs (HMRC) have issued a warning to taxpayers in Cambridgeshire to be vigilant following reports that criminals are making telephone calls pretending to be the taxman.
The fraudsters inform taxpayers that they are due a tax rebate and ask for their bank details over the phone. They then attempt to take money from the account using the details provided.
Victims risk having their bank accounts emptied and their personal details sold on to other organised criminal gangs.
The warning comes amid a recent surge in the number of tax scam “phishing” emails reported to HMRC.
Chris Hopson, Director of Customer Contact at HMRC said: “We only ever contact customers who are due a tax refund in writing by post. We never use telephone calls, emails or external companies in these circumstances.”
He advises people receiving a phone call claiming to be from HMRC to contact the police and forward suspicious emails to the HMRC for investigation.
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