Got a text message this morning from the 'HMRC Team' reminding me that my account balance was due soon and they even provided me with a sort code and bank account number to pay into. It is a HSBC account in Wembley. I do get calls from clients who get these scam texts and emails. Can something not be done about it? What role does the banking industry play in all this?
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I wonder about that too.
How do they pass the checks when setting up an 'HMRC' account, or is it in some other name (with or without identity checks) as they know full well that the banks don't bother checking the account name?
Not an AWeb issue
Nobody on here's going to be able to sort that one out.
Needs reporting to the peelers and maybe that bank in Wembley. I've a general low opinion of bankers but I like to think they'd not want to get drawn into money-laundering and maybe put a block on the account.
HMRC...
... has just tweeted out a response to this particular round of scams:
"We are aware of the text phishing scams currently being received by customers. See this link to report them.
"HMRC will never send notifications of a tax refund or ask customers to disclose personal/payment info by text."
It links to a report dated November 2014.
The account is probably that of a perfectly innocent person whose banking credentials have been hacked. As money is paid in it is probably being shifted straight out again using online banking. For the poor sucker whose account it is, the first they hear about it is when their account is frozen. By which time the hackers have all his money and more besides.
IIRC a few years back before electronic payment
a certain fraudster got hold of some cheques payable to "Inland Revenue" and paid them into an account for "Finlandia Revenue".