Local police warn Teddington and Richmond residents over phone scam.
Richmond Council is warning residents across the borough of a HMRC telephone scam, which is targeting elderly tax payers around the Richmond and Teddington area.
The telephone scam involves a message left on resident’s answerphones, allegedly from HMRC, stating that HMRC are bringing a lawsuit against the individual and is going to sue them.
The recipient is asked to phone 0161 8508494 and press “1” to speak to the officer dealing with the case.
This scam is becoming widely reported and seems to be targeting older people.
Cllr Geoffrey Samuel, the Deputy Leader of the Council, recently received a number of these calls and is urging residents not reply to the message.
“This call is an illegal scam. If residents receive the call – they must hang up.
“These unscrupulous criminals are preying on older, vulnerable people. They are using frightening tactics to steal data and money. For those who believe the call is real – they will try to get hold of your bank details. But, it is a con.
“These hoaxes can be convincing and I urge residents to be careful.”
If you cannot verify the identity of the person making the call you should not disclose any personal details. You can check the validity of any such requests by calling HMRC using verified numbers published on your paperwork or the HMRC Website.
If you suspect you have received a fake call then report the information to Action Fraud, or you can call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2050 (Please note this number will be charged at your normal network rate).
