HMRC advice on scam tax calls

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