Inland revenue call is it a scam?

[Merc 450]

Had a phone call off an 0300 0200 number saying I may have committed a tax fraud and if I didn't press 1 I would be arrested shortly is this a scam (didn't press 1)

[longblackcoat]

Of course it is!

[Funk]

I mean this nicely but how can you not automatically tell it's a scam?

[Merc 450]

Only because it begins with 0300 200 like the real inland revenue number, thanks anyway for the help at least I never pressed 1

[David-H]

If you receive a call purporting to be from BT informing you they will cut off your internet in 24 hours due to suspicious activity on your router, this is also a scam

[Pericoloso]

What happens next if you press 1 ?

[Pica-Pica]

Yes. Cannot believe anyone would think otherwise

[anonymous-user]

Pericoloso said:

What happens next if you press 1 ?

You have a very expensive phone call

[Pericoloso]

garyhun said:

Pericoloso said:

What happens next if you press 1 ?

You have a very expensive phone call

Oh right ,thanks ,didn't realise it was as simple as that....

[mmm-five]

If you receive a call purporting to be from Sky informing you that your box warranty is expiring and you can renew it, this is also a scam.

If you receive a call purporting to be from Virgin informing you that your box warranty is expiring and you can renew it, this is also a scam.

If you receive a call purporting to be from Microsoft informing you that your PC has a virus, this is also a scam.

If you stop at a motorway services and a well-dressed gentleman offers you a 'gold watch' in exchange for giving him £50 for his fuel, this is also a scam.

[ambuletz]

yes it's a scam, it's been doing it's rounds many times this year, they're always changing their number. just don't pick up, then google the phone number.

If it was legitimate they'd write you a letter

[Pothole]

How would HMRC have your telephone number?

[BertBert]

I'm pretty sure it was legit.

[FurtiveFreddy]

David-H said:

If you receive a call purporting to be from BT informing you they will cut off your internet in 24 hours due to suspicious activity on your router, this is also a scam

The carer at my mum's house got one of these a couple of weeks ago. Luckily, she doesn't understand Pigeon English very well so didn't carry out the instructions

[Alucidnation]

Of course it’s genuine.

Pay up.

[clockworks]

They are getting pretty clever getting people to pick up these scam calls. Had one today that showed up as a local call (same area code and first 2 digits as my phone number), recorded message about cutting off my internet access. Purporting to be from OFCOM, rather than the normal one that's supposedly from BT.

I've had calls from abroad that masquerade as UK numbers, but spoofing the first 7 digits so that it looks like a local call? How is that possible?

[anonymous-user]

I sometimes get the "I'm calling about the accident you had..."
Then I like to tell them about the Apache gunship I was flying.

[Nobody nowhere]

Pericoloso said:

garyhun said:

Pericoloso said:

What happens next if you press 1 ?

You have a very expensive phone call

Oh right ,thanks ,didn't realise it was as simple as that....

It doesn’t cost you anything. I got this call three weeks ago. Pressed 1 because I felt like playing. A guy with a pretty thick Indian accent I had committed tax fraud and I needed to confirm my details etc etc. I told him you called me so you tell me what you’ve got and I’ll confrom them. He had my name but didn’t feel like playing. He did say, before he hung up, the police were on the way. I said I’d put the tea on then. I have checked my phone bill and no extraneous charges. Yay.

[m3jappa]

Pothole said:

How would HMRC have your telephone number?

I assure you they do, have had legitimate calls off them a few times.

These scammers are scum and prey on the naive and elderly who automatically fold when hearing they are in trouble.

Must admit the first one i got left a message and it did initially take me back a bit.

[Cooperman]

I had the one telling me my internet was being disconnected. I said that was fine since I had recently tried to cancel my contract but was told that it had over one more year to run. Then I thanked them for being so understanding and said that I could now go ahead and sign-up with a lower cost provider as son as the connection was removed..