Tax credit-genuine contact or phishing scam?

Car_guy

I got a letter claiming to be from HMRC regarding my tax credits. They want me to send all sorts of original documents, eg. phone bills, bank statements, passport, tv licence, P45, council tax bill, all insurance certificates, etc.

Going by what I have read on the HMRCs website it is Transactis that deals with checking into tax credits, but this place is called B&C Compliance Operations, in Belfast.
Has anyone heard of these? Is this genuine, or just a scam to get at all my documents???
Been trying to get through to the tax credit advice phone line all day, but noone ever answers the phone there!

shedboy94

It is genuine. Belfast is where the majority of compliance is carried out directly by HMRC
Transactis are a private company who HMRC have outsourced work to.

georgiasdragons

Hi
I have heard of that office but i am going through compliance at the moment and have to send all my stuff back to Preston.

I will PM you a telephone number that i called and got straight through on now..... with out even holding or press this press that!

Car_guy

Thanks very much for the help. It probably is fine, like you say, but you just can't be too carful anymore these day.
I'll give that number a try just now.
Much appreciated.