Warwickshire Trading Standards have said that consumers are continuing to report threatening bogus phone calls from scammers claiming to be HMRC.

The recorded phone calls falsely claim that HMRC have filed a lawsuit against them and request that they press 1 to speak to a call handler or the Police.

People who have responded have reported being asked for their National Insurance Number and other personal details, suggesting that this is an organised attempt to steal personal and financial information for the purposes of identity theft and other criminal activity.

This phone scam, along with a number of others appear to be use phone numbers beginning with the Manchester prefix 0161.

Residents are advised to put the phone down immediately on receiving a call of this nature. Never follow any instructions given or reveal any personal or financial information.

• Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.
• Warwickshire Trading Standards Website Facebook Twitter
• Sign up to scam alerts at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
• Please feel free to pass on or re-publish this email alert

Don’t Forget
Complete the new 2016/17 Cyber Crime survey, so we can see the full scope of Cyber Crime in Warwickshire, and across West Mercia, the West Midlands and Staffordshire – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RegionalCyber16

For more information about our work, please visit www.safeinwarwickshire.com/cybercrime

Cyber Aware is a cross-government campaign, funded by the National Cyber Security Programme. They aim to measurably and significantly improve the online safety behaviour and confidence of consumers and small businesses (SMEs).

Get Safe Online is the UK’s leading source of factual and easy-to-understand information on online safety. Their website offers advice on how you can protect yourself, your computers and devices, and your business against the likes of fraud, identity theft, viruses and other potential online problems.