HMRC scam call

[guest311]

scam call today supposedly from HMRC re a tax fraud against my name...
recorded message with no 'dear mr xxx'

number was
07243800997 for info

[N_GaugeModeller]

Is that the one were they threaten you with an arrest warrant if you don't press 1

I had a few of them last week, all from different spoofed numbers.

[guest311]

not sure, I didn't listen any further than 'this is HMRC calling about a tax fraud case against your name'....click, brrrrr

funny though, as I was writing this got another call from an 07574 number that I don't recognise so just ignored it.

trouble is with SWMBO as she is at the moment, we are getting calls from all sorts of places and numbers.

[Railwaygun]

Which has a website & email service warning of latest scams

https://campaigns.which.co.uk/scam-alert-service/

[Malc]

If a human doesn't answer when I pick up the phone, I hang up. I have had a couple of calls on my mobile with an Asian sounding person claiming something or other. Usually if my contacts list doesn't display the name of the caller, I let it go to voicemail. However, like class37035, I was expecting a call from the hospital. I let them get as far as "are you the home owner" and then cut them off. I have been tempted to say," no, I am just burgling the house"

[Fardap]

Had one recently pretending to be from Virgin Media and wanting to confirm I was getting the right Internet speed 'as there had been reports of problems'.
He was asking what colour the lights that were flashing on the router were, after running him around asking if it was the green or blue one and then telling him it looked white he hung up. A win in my book 

[PGN]

Just for reference ... if it IS HMRC, then they DON'T announce themselves by saying "this is HMRC"! And they will ALWAYS ask to speak to YOU by name. If they don't know the name of the person they wish to speak to, then they are NOT one of Her Majesty's finest!

And "a tax fraud against your name" is meaningless gibberish.

I personally have found that by FAR the best way to deal with calls such as this is to pretend that YOU work for the organisation that THEY are pretending to work for. They just can't cope with that. The last time I had one of these calls, it went something like this:

"Hello, I'm calling from [whatever organisation], how are you today?"

"I'm a little improved, thank you, but I'm still not going to be fit to return to work for another couple of weeks, so I'm afraid Martin's just going to have to do the spreadsheets himself this month. If he needs a bit of help then Shelley is pretty good with stuff like that ..."

And they hung up on me!

[Newportnobby]

Caller I.D. is a wonderful thing but if you're expecting a call from a hospital then the benefit is negated. Usually if I don't recognise the number I let it go to voicemail, especially if it shows 'International'. Knowing my luck, though, I'll miss a call from that Nigerian banker saying I'm owed millions

[Bealman]

I just don't answer a number I do not know, with the exception being if it's got the local phone code in front of it.

I'm even reluctant to that, but usually I'm glad I did cos it's me blood nurse 

I disabled voicemail. My reasoning being they have my number, if they can't get me in person, they will send a text, which often happens, then I will respond to that.

[Malc]

I've said this before, but worth a punt. I was working from home and got a call from a lady asking if I'd had an accident at work. I told her I had and she got all excited. She asked me what had I done. I said that I'd just gone home and changed my underpants. She hung up.

[dannyboy]

When we had the landline, I used to say something on the lines of, "just a second, the security company I work for are developing a new tracing system, I'll know where you are in a couple .......". For some reason, the line went dead then!

[woodbury22uk]

When I am confident it is a scam call - caller ID says International but the number is local - my script is:- "Thank you for your generous donation. To donate again, hang up within the next five seconds. To amend your donation, press 1 and wait to be connected to an operator".

Sees them off every time.

[martyn]

I've just had an email to say my car is not taxed-funny, it's paid until the end of this year......

The English is poor, and is trying to suggest that there's not enough money in my debit account, so please can they have my credit card details.

The click on weblink is rather long, but ends in telenet.be

Martyn

[PLD]

New variation on the theme received yesterday.
"You has failed to provide the concrete details for your bank accounts on the UK census form. Please complete and return the attached form immediately to [... ... .tk] otherwise we will infuse a US$1000 fine."

[dannyboy]

I take it you told them one part cement to two parts sand?

(Although I know you did not actually reply  ).

Actually, that has just given me an idea .....

Dear Mr PLD,
It does a pears that yuo have not answerd the other correzpondenze. Pleeze replie at your early in the morning toilet with the wanted bank details. Failure to do so will leave us with no option.
Yours faithcerly.
Con.