Last week we had calls coming in from across the country from people who had supposedly been contacted by HMRC. This might not seem abnormal but the calls and messages left for them were demanding payment or they'd be facing legal action. 

HMRC will never demand payment via the phone and although these may seem very convincing and appear genuine, never ever make a payment over the phone. If in doubt, hang up and contact HMRC through one of their verified channels. You can see these HERE. Scare tactics are often used to apply pressure to people to convince them to make payments. Check on relatives who may be susceptible to believing that they owe money and make sure they are aware to never make payments over the phone. 

If you receive a call like this, report it straight away, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.