Don’t fall for doorstep scammers pretending to be HMRC officers

Sara White, Editor, Business & Accountancy Daily. Croner.

HMRC clarifies guidance on how to verify the identity of an HMRC officer or collector if they contact you in person at your home or office to prevent doorstep scammers.

With rising levels of fraud and doorstep imposters, HMRC has updated guidance on how to check the veracity of HMRC representatives if they arrive at your premises or home.

When an HMRC official visits your premises, it is essential to check their identity and ring the HMRC dedicated phone numbers, available 24 hours a day, to confirm they are genuine and not fraudsters.

It goes without saying that it is essential to use your own mobile phone to make the call as scammers can divert calls and make it appear to be answered by HMRC when in fact it is being redirected to a scam call centre.

It is also important to note that HMRC debt collectors will ‘usually visit you between 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday’.

HMRC stressed: ‘If a HMRC collector visits you at any other time and you want to confirm their identity, arrange an appointment with them to return between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.’

It is essential to ask for their identity and not to take it as a given that they are who they claim to be.

‘Anyone representing HMRC will always identify themselves and explain why they are visiting you,’ HMRC stated.

‘If you’re unsure about whether the person you are dealing with is a genuine HMRC officer, you can contact HMRC to check their identity and confirm they are an officer from HMRC.’

How to confirm an HMRC officer’s identity

The officer will show you their HMRC identification card, which includes their name, photograph and HMRC serial number.

The next step is to check this is above board, following these steps:

1. Make a note of the officer’s name and serial number.

2. The officer will give you an HMRC telephone number (03000 565 656) to call.

3. Call 03000 565 656 and give the HMRC adviser the officer’s name and serial number.

4. The adviser will confirm whether the person is a genuine HMRC officer.

The telephone number provided by the HMRC officer is available 24 hours a day and is only for verifying the identity of HMRC officers in face to face situations.

How to confirm an HMRC collector’s identity

An HMRC collector will usually visit you between 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

The collector will show you their HMRC identification card which will have their name, photograph and HMRC serial number on it.

1. Make a note of the name and serial number on the card.

2. Phone HMRC on 0300 200 3862.

3. Give the name and serial number to the adviser, so they can confirm that the collector represents HMRC.

It is also worth double checking the official list of genuine HMRC contacts to help decide if the person on your doorstep is genuinely from HMRC, or is a scam from a fraudster.

HMRC guidance, Check the identity of someone representing HMRC in person