News / Phone scam warning
A WOMAN from Shetland has warned of yet another phone scam after someone purporting to be from HMRC called her asking for money.
The caller said she owed them £687 before telling her that she could be fined nearly £100,000, lose her home and her car and be sent to jail if she didn’t pay up.
The woman, who did not want to be named, said the caller was “very forceful” and had claimed that HMRC had sent her two letters about the fake debt.
“When l finally got him off the phone l phoned the police who told me this was a scam and that HMRC would never do this over the phone,” she added.
Shetland Islands Council’s trading standards manager David Marsh reaffirmed that “you should never disclose sensitive personal or financial information to someone who calls you, no matter how plausible they may seem to be.”
“You can help HMRC’s investigations into the people behind these calls by sending details of the scam (such as the date and time of call, and the telephone number that made the call) to their phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk email address,” he added.
“If you’ve been caught out by a scam caller such as this – and they can be extremely plausible – you can report it at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by phoning 0300 123 2040.”
Marsh said that the trading standards team have some government funded call blockers available for people who are vulnerable to scam callers.
Anyone interested in receiving one can contact trading.standards@shetland.gov.uk, phone 01595 744887, or visit in person at the office at Charlotte House – although from Monday 12 March they will be based at the old Anderson High School.
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