In a series of tweets posted on Tuesday 26th October, Oasis Umbrella announced it has been subjected to umbrella company cloning. The FCSA accredited umbrella company released a series of messages to its followers warning them about cloning and how to stay safe from potential communication by criminals. Keep reading for more information.
Important updates from Oasis Umbrella
Oasis Umbrella has released a series of tweets to its followers about umbrella company cloning and the issues they’re facing. It appears criminals have created very similarly sounding businesses to Oasis Umbrella. These criminals are targeting contractors and freelancers pretending to be FCSA accredited Oasis Umbrella and are trying to offer tax avoidance schemes and non-compliant umbrella company arrangements. The tweets posted on Tuesday 26th October are below:
Tweet 1 of 6
Along with quite a few other compliant umbrella companies, Oasis Umbrella Ltd has been “cloned” and contractors and agencies are being targeted by this clone business.
Tweet 2 of 6
We would like to re-iterate that Oasis Umbrella Ltd has absolutely no connection to Oasis Umbrella PAYE Ltd – anyone using this company name to sell any form of contractor payroll scheme is deliberately trying to use our good name for their own ends.
Tweet 3 of 6
As a fully compliant FCSA accredited umbrella company, Oasis Umbrella Ltd has not, and will not offer any form of tax avoidance scheme.
Tweet 4 of 6
These schemes, typically marketed with promises of 85% or higher take-home pay clearly cannot be compliant, given that the lowest rate of tax in the UK is 20%.
Tweet 5 of 6
Mike Keeling, our Sales and Marketing Director has this to say: “We are aware that a company with a similar name to Oasis Umbrella Ltd has been set up by as yet unknown individuals, with the intention of defrauding contractors and recruitment agencies.
Tweet 6 of 6
we are not the only victim of this scam and we are working closely with other firms in our sector, legal experts, and the authorities to ensure that our clients are protected.
In a separate tweet, Oasis Umbrella also shared the following advice:
It’s really important if you are a contractor and you are contacted by anyone offering an inflated return on your contract to check that any emails you receive come from the genuine domain – basically do some due diligence. And always remember, if the deal sounds good to be true then it almost certainly is. If you are a contractor (or an agency) and you are contacted by Oasis Umbrella PAYE Ltd, please let us know by calling us on 02038189500 or email us at info@oasisumbrella.co.uk. We are working closely with the relevant authorities to get these fraudsters closed down.
Umbrella company cloning has already been identified within the sector
In September, Giant, a well-known UK-based umbrella company, shut down its internal systems because they identified suspicious activity within its network. Later on, it became apparent that Giant has been subjected to umbrella company cloning – the act of criminals pretending to represent the “real” Giant while operating from fake, newly set up businesses with similar-sounding names.
Websites have also been cloned, where criminals are launching sites with almost identical domain names. The FCSA has even had its website cloned.
How to stay safe from umbrella company cloning
We have recently written a blog about umbrella company cloning, including what’s happened within the umbrella company marketplace and what you can do to protect yourself from criminal and fraudulent activity.
Please read: Umbrella company cloning is the latest threat to the contractor payroll industry
Here are some tips for contractors and freelancers to stay safe from potential online fraud:
- Always verify the person you’re speaking to when you receive a call from an umbrella company. Ask for their name, contact information (including direct dial). If you have any doubts, call them back by finding the contact information you need on the umbrella company’s website.
- When you are on an umbrella company’s website, make sure it’s the correct site. Recently, there has been a series of umbrella company websites that have been cloned by criminals.
- As a UK worker, you’re required to pay your fair share of tax and National Insurance Contributions. Never be tempted to use a tax avoidance scheme because the consequences could be severe.
- If you ever suspect fraudulent activity, please contact the umbrella company you believe is being impersonated to warn them. Also, contact the FCSA.
- Look up the company that’s contacting you on Companies House. If they’ve only been around for a month or two – alarms bells should instantly ring.
- Have a look and see who is behind the umbrella company that’s contacting you. Who are the directors? What is their history?
- Check the company is based in the UK. As a UK taxpayer, it is sensible to assume your umbrella company (the organisation responsible for processing your payroll) is also based in the UK.
Top 10 umbrella companies
If you’re looking for a reliable umbrella company you can trust, you’ve come to the right place. Please visit our top 10 umbrella companies. They’re all accredited by either the FCSA or Professional Passport, and some have special offers at the moment.
