Remember last week when I alerted the nation about HMRC scammers? These “Phishers” want to reel in the cash from your bank account.
Well, one particular woman read that blog post and became informed. She hails from the town of Wigston and is a young…87 years of age.
People of all ages read the Umbrella Companies Blog. Some even think we sell umbrellas, and we might if enough people want them. A side business is always profitable.
The 87 year old woman named Eileen Sutton read every single word of last weeks blog post. Just like she does every week. And when we alerted her to these HMRC scammers then she was on high alert.
So much so, that when she got a phone call through the very next day from “HMRC” she was immediately suspicious.
The woman on the other end of the line said that Eileen owed £2069 pounds sterling in unpaid tax and that it needed paying IMMEDIATELY.
If Eileen didn’t pay, then she could get in trouble with the police…those were the exact words of the woman on the other end of the line.
“I am not a tax payer,” Eileen told her, matter of factly.
“I’m going to call the police on you, and have you arrested, and you will have a criminal record. I’m being abused,” said the woman on the other end of the line.
“You must pay now…by going to the supermarket and buying prepaid vouchers worth £2069.”
It was at this point that Eileen, our 87 year old hero knew this was a scam and promptly slammed the phone down on this joker.
The woman on the other end of line was NOT a HMRC employee. She was a scammer. Plain and simple, and her only goal was to scam an 87 year old woman out of her money.
Eileen is not taking this lying down though, and although she was quick witted enough to stop the scam in its tracks, she has decided to fight back and warn others about the dangers of falling for these HMRC scams.
“”Fortunately, I realised that it was a scam, but someone else could be drawn in,” said Eileen when asked for a comment.
That is why here at Umbrella Companies we are proud of Eileen and proud to print her story so that others can learn from the experience.
Don’t get sucked in to the web of these scammers. If someone phones you out of the blue then tell them you will phone them back on the official HMRC phone number, which can be found on the official HMRC website.
Not only that, but you also want to set-up an HMRC account so you can log in and then see what money you owe. It will all be there in your HMRC account, straight from the horses mouth.
Never, under any circumstances listen to anyone that phones you, and never give out your bank account details or buy vouchers at the supermarket.
