Police are warning people in Gedling borough not to fall victim to scammers posing as HM Revenue and Customs – after a sharp rise in fraud calls.
Potential victims receiving the calls are told by the fraudster that they owe HMRC money and that if they don’t pay, they’ll be arrested or their benefits will be stopped.
Nottinghamshire Police have advised that HMRC would never call anyone up out of the blue on this issue.
A spokesman said: “Over the past few days, we’ve had an increase in reports locally of HMRC bogus calls.
“Luckily the victims were suspicious and didn’t pay anything but reported it to us instead.
“Please be vigilant against these kind of scams and alert your elderly and vulnerable loved ones too.”
They added: “HMRC would never call you up out of the blue on this issue. They certainly wouldn’t threaten you with arrest. If legitimate, there would be no urgency for you to pay them then and then.
“If you get a call like this, please don’t pay anything upfront. Take steps to verify the caller, ask if you can phone them back on a known number for example or request proof in writing. If you’re unsure, you can always contact HMRC and ask their advice or call us on 101.
People receiving these calls should report them to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
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