I don't know if anyone has raised this before if so if someone could point me to it.
I am getting fed up with HMRC ringing me for information about a client and requiring me to go through their security checks but they won't go through mine. I can't disclose information to just anyone who rings me, but the Revenue want me to disclose names, addresses, and other information before they will continue with the telephone call that they initiated. If I ring them I expect to go through this but if they initiate the call shouldn't they go through my security checks ie Name of who is ringing from which department regarding which client and what is our reference number as an agent with respect to the particular tax they are asking about.
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ask them to perform a security check first
They often say they cant then [***] off.
Normally they are just debt collection calls anyway
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They often say they cant then [***] off.
Normally they are just debt collection calls anyway
I do that from time to time, but I often wonder whether they note their record as 'agent refused to speak to us' or something, so later they can say 'well we tried to involve your agent but they wouldn't speak to us so it's not our fault the debt collectors took your TV'.
I've thought about it myself. I had a utility company call me at home on my landline, and wanted to do security. I advised them that I was not going to provide personal information to a random caller until I was satisfied of their identity, and proceeded to ask questions (professional) that would have verified. Caller refused, stalemate, and call terminated.
I'm pretty sure that such challenges to HMRC would always go the same way.
(N.B. This is very different to my approach to cold callers, which usually involves me convincing them that they have called a restricted military number, that the call is being traced, and that they have already committed an offence. It's usually enough to ensure that they don't bother me for a year or two. The last time I kept him on the phone for half an hour while "the men" did all their background checks on him. I could almost hear him crapping himself).
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Not had a call from debt collection from some time.
Either my clients are all stunningly up to date, or they seem to get the hint and not bother calling agents who wont play ball.
Security checks
When getting these types of calls I have had a positive response to requesting authority by asking for a reference numbers then calling back on a number in the public domain and quoting their reference - not perfect and my money being used but sometimes needs must - always do this with the bank when get random calls and they will not verify anything
I had someone from Local Compliance phone up regarding intrastat and they were happy to go through security checks, this is probably very much the exception though.
Automated dialling
By being co-operative and discussing the clients affairs with this person who rings up out of the blue and says they are from HMRC, without them going through 'our' security, are we committing a Data Protection breach - even if the call is Kosher?
I know they are using an automated dial system, but it annoys me that they ask us for our phone number - being the one they just dialled.
Had an interesting twist
I got a call-back a couple of weeks ago (amazing in itself) from the department dealing with P55s. They wanted to verify me as agent. I felt this was fine, as my name, address and phone number are all out there in public domain anyhow. They then asked what I had requested a call-back about. That satisfied them, but also satisfied me that I hadn't breached the Data Protection Act. Icing on the cake was they admitted that I was right and they were wrong, and would process client's refund within 5 working days :-)