HMRC tax fraud or error?

[Quartz]

Anyone from HMRC here?

I've just received a letter purporting to be from HMRC saying I've claimed a repayment. For a very large sum of money. I have made no such claim. The envelope looks right and the letter looks right. Except for one thing: they've got my bank details wrong. That said, I've just checked and the money has been paid to me. The HMRC fraud line is, of course, closed over the weekend so I'll be ringing their tax line tomorrow morning. I'm guessing that the letter is real but the claim is false or erroneous. Maybe someone has tried a fraud in my name. So as to best help HMRC stop or correct this, what do I need to have to hand when I ring their ordinary tax line tomorrow morning? Apart from the letter, obviously.

 

[Quartz]

How large is "a very large sum of money"?

Large enough that I don't feel like specifying it, but not telephone number large.

 

[Quartz]

Sounds like a scam whereby someone has made a claim under your name for tax losses or similar therefore triggering a tax repayment, but something has gone wrong with the scam and HMRC has paid the money to you instead of them.

That sounds plausible.

Alternatively you could have just overpaid tax through PAYE or whatever and HMRC is repaying this to you. Would seem odd that they have stated that you have made a claim for repayment though.

Especially as I'm retired and have been retired some years.

 

[Quartz]

Phone their line and speak to them.

Well yes:

So as to best help HMRC stop or correct this, what do I need to have to hand when I ring their ordinary tax line tomorrow morning? Apart from the letter, obviously.

And I won't be ringing the number on the letter!

 

[Quartz]

Well, despite their website saying they're open from 08:00, they're closed.

 

[Quartz]

Which number/service are you calling?

The main number, 0300 200 3300.

Opening times:
Monday to Saturday: 8am to 8pm

 

[Quartz]

Are you sure you're reading it correctly?

Clearly not! Should have scrolled down!

 

[Quartz]

I don't know why you aren't calling the number that line will eventually direct you to.

I tried that one too.

 

[Quartz]

The line opens at 8am. The best time to call is a actually 7:50am.

Thanks. What documentation should I have to hand to best help them sort this out?

 

[Quartz]

If you tell me what tax it's for it would help.

It just says 'Thank you for your recent claim to repayment'. I don't feel comfortable giving out the reference number since it is my UTR, but it has a 'K01' suffix.

 

[Quartz]

Well, it turns out that lines before 08:00 are blocked. But I got through very quickly. The lady to whom I spoke said that the repayment is not an error or a fraud. I'm still not sure I believe it but hey ho. At least I now have it all on record.

 

[Quartz]

Now we know it isn't a fraud can you tell us how much it was for

Far into four figures.

 

[Quartz]

If someone guesses it within +/- 100 will you share it?

No.