The letter claims to be from “Indv and Small Business Compliance” at HMRC and claims to be in response to a recent government initiative.
It instructs the recipient to send certain documents via email, including the business’s bank statements, accounts, VAT return, and a copy of each director’s driving license.
HMRC’s advice
A HMRC spokesperson has confirmed that the letter is fraudulent and has given advice on how to stay safe online.
People should protect their information. This means taking a moment to think before parting with money or information, and using strong and different passwords on all accounts.
If a phone call, text, letter or email is suspicious or unexpected, the person should not give out private information, reply to it, download attachments or click on links. The person should not trust caller ID on phones as numbers can be spoofed.
It is possible to check on GOV.UK to see a list of genuine HMRC communications and examples of recent scams, although this has not yet been updated for the recent letter.
If in doubt, always check with HMRC through their official website, you can also report any suspicious communications to HMRC here and if you have had any money stolen, contact your bank immediately.
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