HOMEOWNERS with a landline are being warned to be on their guard after a surge in the number of fraudulent calls from tricksters pretending to be from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
A rising number of criminals are now turning to the traditional method of cold-calling publicly available phone numbers to steal cash from taxpayers, according to HMRC.
Phone scams often target the elderly and vulnerable using HMRC’s brand as it is well-known and adds credibility to a fraudster’s call.
HMRC received more than 60,000 reports of phone scams in six months up to January 2019 – up 360 per cent on the six months before.
During the last 12 months, HMRC has worked with the phone networks and Ofcom to close nearly 450 lines being used by fraudsters.
Visit gov.uk for more information and the official HMRC contact numbers.
