by Did you receive any call, text or email from an unknown number claiming to be from HRMC? If yes, do not listen to them! HRMC Scam is the one of the viral scams going on recently. This review uncovers the fraudulent activities of this of scammers and offers tips on how to detect scam texts and avoid them. Read till the end.
Phishing (Email scams) and Smishing (Fraud through Text messages) are on the increase these days. Scammers are now coming up with several ways to defraud people on a daily basis. One of the ways they do this is by sending text messages to people or calling them and prompting them to release vital information or even gaining access to their information without their knowledge. Receivers of such calls are therefore advised to always carry out due diligence before giving out any information about themselves.
What Is HRMC Scam All About?
HRMC Scam is a call, text or email sent by fraudsters disguising themselves to be representatives of HRMC. The caller or sender requests for your personal information by sending you a link. Do not fall for it.
How Does HRMC Scam Work?
In order to appear genuine, the cyber criminals behind the HRMC Scam employ the following strategies.
- Sending an automated message telling you that HMRC is filing a lawsuit against you. They will now ask you to press 1 to connect to a caseworker.
- A cold caller tells you that you are being charged with tax fraud. Then, you are asked to send a copy of your passport and to pay over £1,000 in order to avoid court action.
- They send an automated message saying that your National Insurance number has been tampered with or is invalid. You are now asked to press 1 to speak to their so called ‘advisor’ who may ask for your personal details so that you can apply for a new NI number.
- They may send an automated message supposedly from a criminal agency, saying that your National Insurance number is going to be suspended and your assets will be seized. The message asks you to press 1 to stop your assets being seized.
- A cold caller tells that you are owing an unpaid tax of up to £500 and will be arrested in a couple of hours if you don’t pay immediately. They may ask you to make the payment in vouchers or prepaid cards for Amazon or Google Play
- They send a message through social media saying that they can help you claim a tax rebate. Then the sender askes you to pay £500 in Amazon vouchers
Bear in mind that HMRC will never send notifications of a tax rebate or request for your personal or payment information through text message.
What Are The Effects Of This Phishing Scams On The Receivers?
The negative effects that HRMC Scam has had on people who fell victim of their tricks unknowingly is really alarming. People lost huge amount of money because these scammers gained access to their bank details and stole from them. Some even started borrowing from friends to survive while some other victims had critical health condition just because they could not bear the shock of losing all they had to these fraudsters.
These and may more stories, prompted us to start educating the public about this fast rising phishing scam known as HRMC Scam as well as other methods used by scammers these days.
How To Detect HRMC Scam.
Below are some of the ways you can identify HRMC scam call or text by fraudsters.
- They make the call sound urgent and real and give penalty for those who default. This is to make the receiver do what they said.
- They disguise to be a reputable agency, steal the agency’s official logo and address just to convince people.
- They send links to malicious sites to get your personal information and steal from you.
- There are usually errors in their email address or the content of the mail or text.
- Majority of them only make use of text messages and chats.
- They demand for fees from you.
7 Ways To Avoid Being Scammed By These Fraudsters.
In order not to be a victim of the HRMC Scam or any other fake agency, follow these instructions:
- Do not click on any link or download attachment from an unknown sender: Do not be in a hurry to click on any link sent in a mail or text message from someone you do not know.
- Check the URL of the links they sent: Is there is an error in the URL or even the content of the text message like misspelling or omission, then know it is a scam.
- Carry out your investigation: Before clicking on any link, do a research to know if they are actually it is actually coming from the said organization. This will save you a lot.
- Do not disclose your personal information anyhow: No genuine agency will request that you provide personal information such as bank account details, password and others.
- Follow your instinct: Whenever you come across a suspicious text message, it always safe to pay attention to the details in the message to check for any suspicious activities rather than being carried away by their urgent tone.
- Report suspicious email or text messages: As soon as you receive a suspicious call from an unknown number, report to your local enforcement agency so that they will take actions to stop further scam activities and block the number from calling you. If you have already shared your personal or financial information with these scammers, all you just have to do is to shut down your cards, then report the incident to HRMC phishing team by forwarding suspicious text messages to 60599 and suspicious emails to [email protected].
- Tell others about the HMRC Scam: Enlighten your friends and family member about the ongoing scam so that they will be aware and not fall victim.
Conclusion
People should be cautious of the information they give out about themselves. There are many scammers out there targeting unsuspecting customers of Spectrum. Sadly, HRMC Scam is one of the viral scams over the internet recently just like Spectrum scam. To stay safe from these fraudsters, you have to adhere to the instructions given above. Click Here to see a list of phishing scams to avoid. Other phishing scams we have reviewed are Jrm legal group scam, Smartr Recruitment Text Scam and Vanner ship scam job calls
