"Stolen" Tax Rebate cheque

cormacks

I was contacted by the HMRC Tax Office on 6th August this year telling me I was due a tax rebate of 3,210 and that they would send a cheque separately. I waited and nothing arrived. In mid-August I phoned the Tax office to inform them that the cheque had not arrived but they told me to wait 14 Business Days. In early Sept I then called again saying it had not arrived, and they told me they would cancel the cheque and send a new one, but this may take up to 6 weeks. Then on 14th September I received another letter from HMRC, with a copy of the cheque, saying it had been cashed at a Cheque Cashing Agency (They didn't say which one) on 21st August for 3,200 (a day I was at work all day) and that I needed to report this to a Police Station and Provide a CRN (Crime Ref Number) and inform them of the outcome. I did this and telephoned the information on 18th Sept. They told me they would get back to me. Having not heard anything for a few week I chased then on 5th October to be told they can't speak to me about it on the phone and that I had to write a letter to them detailing what happened and who my Bank Account was with. I have spoken with the Fraud Helpline who told me there is nothing I can do via them as they just open up a case file.
Does anybody know a) How the cheque could have been cashed ? I'm assuming they would require passport / driving licence ID (which I have) and b) How / When I would be likely to get my refund from HMRC ? I am also mystified as to why they would send a cheque and not offer to pay this into my Bank Account directly.
Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Simon

antonic

To try and answer your questions for you :

1) HMRC can only make a bank transfer payment direct to your bank account if they have those details, as they didnt they sent you a payable order.

2) There are some enterprising fraudsters out there, who can alter the payee`s name to whatever they want and then pay it into their bank account.
Dont let HMRC try and fool you by saying the system is infallible - it isnt go back to HMRC and ask into whose account it was paid, they CAN trace these things

3) I have a feeling your payable order was intercepted AFTER it was posted by HMRC and BEFORE it got to you by someone who knows what the envelopes look like.

4) As a victim of fraud send a letter clearly marked "Complaint" and DEMAND that a replacement payment be made DIRECTLY to your bank account (providing these details in your letter), you should also insist on a reply within 7 days or you will make your local MP aware of the matter (HMRC hate MP complaint cases).
Your letter MUST also give your FULL name & address and signature.

Hope this helps.

cormacks wrote: »

I was contacted by the HMRC Tax Office on 6th August this year telling me I was due a tax rebate of 3,210 and that they would send a cheque separately. I waited and nothing arrived. In mid-August I phoned the Tax office to inform them that the cheque had not arrived but they told me to wait 14 Business Days. In early Sept I then called again saying it had not arrived, and they told me they would cancel the cheque and send a new one, but this may take up to 6 weeks. Then on 14th September I received another letter from HMRC, with a copy of the cheque, saying it had been cashed at a Cheque Cashing Agency (They didn't say which one) on 21st August for 3,200 (a day I was at work all day) and that I needed to report this to a Police Station and Provide a CRN (Crime Ref Number) and inform them of the outcome. I did this and telephoned the information on 18th Sept. They told me they would get back to me. Having not heard anything for a few week I chased then on 5th October to be told they can't speak to me about it on the phone and that I had to write a letter to them detailing what happened and who my Bank Account was with. I have spoken with the Fraud Helpline who told me there is nothing I can do via them as they just open up a case file.
Does anybody know a) How the cheque could have been cashed ? I'm assuming they would require passport / driving licence ID (which I have) and b) How / When I would be likely to get my refund from HMRC ? I am also mystified as to why they would send a cheque and not offer to pay this into my Bank Account directly.
Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Simon

ceeforcat

Excellent post antonic. One thing struck me though - I left the Inland Revenue (as it was then) twenty-five years ago. That is exactly what I would have told the op then - have matters not improved at all since?

antonic

What makes you think I work for them Cee ??

I wouldnt like to comment on if things have improved since you left ..

ceeforcat wrote: »

Excellent post antonic. One thing struck me though - I left the Inland Revenue (as it was then) twenty-five years ago. That is exactly what I would have told the op then - have matters not improved at all since?

ceeforcat

antonic wrote: »

What makes you think I work for them Cee ??

I wouldnt like to comment on if things have improved since you left ..

I didn't, not even for a moment - I just was noting that things really don't seem to have changed in twenty-five years.

xylophone

Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated

Fraudulent encashment is clearly not quite unknown at HMRC...
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/commanual/com123040.htm
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/commanual/com123030.htm

cormacks

Thanks for the comments Guys - It was cashed at a Cheque Cashing Agency though...so name not altered as HMRC sent me a copy of the cheque

TM1976

A cheque cashing agency is required by law to check that the person cashing the cheque is the person who the cheque is made out to. So they would normally get copies of photo ids, utility bills etc.

Unless the agency are cashing bogus cheques without getting this info really the cheque can only have been cashed by either someone with the same name as you or someone who has access to your photo id, utility bills etc.

The cheque cashing agency should have the records to find out who cashed the cheque. It's worth considering before you get the police involved, could the cheque have been cashed by someone in your own household?

TM1976

For the record it's not HMR&C's fault providing they made you out as the payee and sent it to the right address.

It would however make the cheque more secure if they wrote the whole first name as the payee rather than just the first initial.

xylophone

Unless the agency are cashing bogus cheques without getting this info really the cheque can only have been cashed by either someone with the same name as you or someone who has access to your photo id, utility bills etc.

One wonders whether

enterprising fraudsters

might also be able to get hold of/manufacture fake id?

cormacks

TM1976 wrote: »

For the record it's not HMR&C's fault providing they made you out as the payee and sent it to the right address.

It would however make the cheque more secure if they wrote the whole first name as the payee rather than just the first initial.

For me they should
a) give you option to pay it directly into your bank a/c
b) Send it on a signed for service (not in a HMRC Envelope) so it doesn't get stolen / misplaced by the postman

So it is their fault really - I was due the money Aug 6th, it's now 9/11/12 and been told another 8 weeks. Wonder whether HMRC will be including 5 months interest on the missing refund:mad: