New Wave of HMRC Scam Calls Hits UK

Security experts are warning of a new HMRC scam using a threatening automated message in a bid to trick taxpayers into paying a ‘fine.’ The scam calls appear designed to cash-in on the busy end-of-year period in the UK where taxpayers look to get their affairs in order before the self-assessment deadline at the end of January. The automated message reveals the presumably fictitious name of an HMRC officer and extension number, before warning “the issue at hand is extremely time sensitive.”. “If you do not call us back or we do not here from your solicitors, either, then get ready to face the legal consequences,” it continues. “Comparitech attempted to call the number back in order to find out more information, but did not receive a response as of time of writing,” explained the vendor’s privacy advocate, Paul Bischoff.