I am aware that fraudsters have spoofed National Assembly for Wales telephone numbers, and have been calling people while pretending to be from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Please see below the advice I have received from HMRCs on this matter:

Dear Ms Evans,

We are aware that fraudsters have been calling people while pretending to be from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and spoofing National Assembly for Wales numbers.

We would be grateful, therefore, if you would share our advice below with your colleagues and constituents.

HMRC’s advice:

• HMRC will only ever call asking for payment on a debt that you are already aware of, having received a letter about it, or after you’ve told the department you owe tax, possibly through a Self-Assessment return.
• If in doubt, check the number and end the call. You can contact HMRC using one of the helpline numbers or online services available from GOV.UK.
• Genuine organisations like banks and HMRC will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your PIN, password or bank details. 
• Don’t give out private information, reply to text messages, download attachments or click on links in emails you weren’t expecting. 
• Forward details of suspicious calls and emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599, or contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Use their online fraud reporting tool if you suffer financial loss.
• Check GOV.UK for information on how to avoid and report scams and recognise genuine HMRC contact.

New controls deployed by HMRC mean fraudsters can no longer spoof most of the department’s helpline numbers. Scammers mimic legitimate HMRC helpline numbers (often beginning with 0300) to dupe taxpayers and steal their money and personal information. These new controls may mean scammers are looking for other numbers to mimic in order to make their calls seem genuine.

During the last 10 months HMRC has also asked for more than 1,050 numbers being used by scammers to be removed from the network.

Yours sincerely, 

HMRC Communications
 
Rydym yn ymwybodol bod twyllwyr, sy’n honni eu bod yn cynrychioli Cyllid a Thollau EM (CThEM), wedi bod yn ffonio pobl sy’n gweithio yng Nghynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru.

Byddem yn ddiolchgar, felly, pe byddai modd i chi rannu’r cyngor isod gyda’ch cydweithwyr a’ch etholwyr.

Cyngor CThEM:

• Bydd CThEM ond yn eich ffonio i ofyn i chi dalu dyled yr ydych eisoes yn ymwybodol ohoni, a hynny ar ôl i chi gael llythyr amdani, neu ar ôl i chi roi gwybod i’r adran fod arnoch dreth, o bosibl ar Ffurflen Dreth Hunanasesiad.
• Os ydych yn ansicr, gwnewch nodyn o’r rhif a dewch â’r alwad i ben. Gallwch gysylltu â CThEM gan ddefnyddio un o rifau ffôn y llinellau cymorth neu’r gwasanaethau ar-lein sydd ar gael yn GOV.UK.
• Ni fydd sefydliadau dilys, fel banciau a CThEM, yn cysylltu â chi’n ddirybudd ar unrhyw adeg i ofyn am eich PIN, cyfrinair neu fanylion banc. 
• Peidiwch â rhannu gwybodaeth breifat, ateb negeseuon testun, lawrlwytho atodiadau na chlicio ar gysylltiadau mewn e-byst annisgwyl. 
• Anfonwch fanylion galwadau ffôn ac e-byst amheus i gwasanaeth.cymraeg@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk neu phishing@hmrc.gov.uk a negeseuon testun i 60599, neu cysylltwch ag Action Fraud ar 0300 123 2040. Defnyddiwch y twlsyn ar-lein i roi gwybod am dwyll os byddwch yn colli arian.
• Ewch i GOV.UK i gael gwybodaeth am sut i osgoi sgamiau a rhoi gwybod amdanynt ac adnabod cysylltiadau dilys gan CThEM.

Mae mesurau newydd a gyflwynwyd gan CThEM yn golygu nad yw’n bosibl mwyach i dwyllwyr ffugio’r rhan fwyaf o rifau ffôn llinellau cymorth yr adran. Mae sgamwyr yn ffugio rhifau ffôn llinellau cymorth dilys CThEM (sy’n aml yn dechrau gyda 0300) i dwyllo trethdalwyr a dwyn eu harian a’u gwybodaeth bersonol. Gallai’r mesurau newydd hyn olygu bod sgamwyr yn chwilio am rifau eraill i’w ffugio er mwyn rhoi’r argraff bod eu galwadau’n ddilys.

Yn ystod y 10 mis diwethaf, mae CThEM hefyd wedi gofyn am dynnu mwy na 1,050 o rifau a ddefnyddir gan sgamwyr o’r rhwydwaith.

Yn gywir,

Gwasanaeth Cyfathrebu CThEM

Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, is celebrating the benefits of adult learning.
 
Rebecca Evans AM said: “It’s impossible to overstate the value of adult learning. Adult Learning Week celebrates the achievements of learners and providers, and inspires more people to discover how learning can positively change their lives.”
 
The Welsh Labour Government is committed to exploring how it can deliver a new Welsh right to Lifelong Learning. The Welsh Government’s reforms to student finance have already seen the Open University reporting an increase in applications of almost 50% and an increase of more than a third in the number of part-time undergraduates receiving student support.
 
Wales is the only country in Europe to deliver equivalent maintenance support in loans and grants across modes and levels of study.
 
Mrs Evans said: “Learning really does have the power to change people’s lives. Adult Learners Week is an opportunity to find out about the learning opportunities available. If you are looking to brush up on skills, gain confidence or get a degree there is an adult leaning opportunity for you.”
 
Adult Learners’ Week is an annual campaign coordinated by the Learning and Work Institute in partnership with Welsh Government.  Each year over 10,000 adults in Wales participating in Adult Learners’ Week activities.
 
Adult Learners Week takes place between 17th and 23rd June. You can find out more here: https://adultlearnersweek.wales/en/

This is terrible news for workers at the plant, and also for the wider community.  To lose these highly skilled and well-paid jobs is devastating and I know workers in Gower will be affected.
 
I am confident that the Welsh Government will do all it can to support the workers during this worrying and uncertain time.
 
I understand that Economy Minister Ken Skates will be urgently assembling a task force to provide support to the workers, and to explore long term options for the plant.
 
My thoughts and solidarity at this time are with the workers and their families.

Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, has welcomed new action to tackle ambulance handover times at Morriston Hospital.
 
Across Wales, the ambulance service has surpassed its response time target every month since October 2015 for the most serious “red” calls, with patients who are immediately life threatened receiving a response in an average of around five minutes.
 
The most recently published median response time for “amber” calls – those with serious but not life threatening injuries or conditions – was under 28 minutes.
 
“This is a real testament to the professionalism and dedication of our Welsh Ambulance Service staff,” says Rebecca Evans AM.
 
“However,” she adds, “whilst most people receive a good service, I sometimes see people at my advice surgeries who have experienced waits which are simply unacceptable, and which fall short of the service that we would want.
 
“I am pleased that the Welsh Government has recognised that there are continued challenges caused by ambulance patient handover delays at Morriston Hospital, and is putting in place new actions to address this.”
 
Speaking in the Senedd, the Health Minister said: “I have directed the Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner to place immediate and targeted focus on achieving improvements at this site.  A series of new actions have been agreed with local clinical teams. These innovations are being delivered alongside broader, whole system actions in the area to improve community care and enable people to leave hospital when they are ready. We will monitor the situation closely.”

Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, is backing the NSPCC’’s campaign Wild West Web.
 
Rebeca Evans AM has long campaigned for more to done to protect children online, and is joining the NSPCC in making the case for statutory regulation so that social networks have a legal duty of care to protect every child.
 
The internet can be a wonderful tool in so many and varied way, but in using it we must be acutely aware of the dangers that are present.”
 
Rebecca Evans AM said: “The internet can be a great place for entertainment and for staying in touch, and is an excellent learning tool. However, social networks need to offer safe accounts for children, and proactively prevent children being groomed on their platforms. 
 
“Legislation to ensure that social networks have a legal duty of care to protect every child cannot come soon enough, but until then it is vital that parents and carers of children familiarize themselves with the safety measures that are available, and speak to their children about the dangers of the Wild West Web”.
​

Rebecca Evans AM will be holding an advice surgery, on Friday 7th June, 12 midday - 1pm at Mumbles Pier, Oystermouth. 

If you think Rebecca can be of assistance, please come along. No appointment necessary.