Last updated: 18 Sep 2024 02:00 Posted in:
Scammers have been forced to change the fake email address on correspondence after a public warning from UK top 10 accountancy firm Azets.
Sajid Ghufoor, head of Azets’ tax investigations service, said the scammers have changed the fake email address on the same letter from companies-review@hmrc-taxchecks.org to audit@hmrc-revenuecheck.com
Ghufoor urged finance departments to always check the email address on letters – genuine ones have a hmrc.gov.uk ending.
He said: “If there is no hmrc.gov.uk ending, you are a target of sophisticated scammers. These compliance letters, with near-future deadline dates, are meant to panic businesses into providing financial information which can be used for identity theft to set up loans or clear out bank accounts.”
Ghufoor said the fake compliance letter resembles the technical language and typeface used in HMRC correspondence and could easily by mistaken as being from the tax authority.
When the first version of the scam letter was circulated in August, Ghufoor commented: “This is probably the best scam letter I have seen up until now. They have sought to use an HMRC team and use the right technical legislation and language – previously others have used non-UK tax legislation.
“The highly realistic letter is headlined ‘we need to verify your financial information’ and asks for business bank statements from the past 13 months, most recent full version of filed accounts, business VAT returns for the last four quarters and photos of directors, from passports or driving licences.
“If you provide the fraudsters with these details, there is a strong chance of identity theft taking place of both the company and directors in order to clear out bank accounts and open up the opportunity for VAT fraud.
“Mimicking government messaging, these letters from criminals have the look and tone of authenticity, with ‘Indv and Small Business Compliance’ on the top right.”
The letter ends: “If you do not reply we will conduct an investigation and possibly freeze any business activity until we conclude our investigation. This letter is not proof of your identity.”
Azets urged small business owners and their staff to be on the alert, saying the scam letters may arrive by email as well as by post.
Based on latest government figures, there are nearly 1.2 million businesses in the UK employing one to nine staff, with nearly 223,000 employing between 10 to 49.
“These compliance letters, with near-future deadline dates, are meant to panic businesses into providing financial information which can be used for identity theft to set up loans or clear out bank accounts.”
Sajid Ghufoor, Head of Tax Investigations, Azets