Scammed

Lolls79

Looking for some advice. I've recently been a victim of a HMRC scam and they have taken from me over £8000. My bank can't refund any of the monies, so now im left gutted and heartbroken. Does anyone know or tjar could advise where I can seek advice next in relation to getting this money back. 

Caz3121

you will need to provide more details if you want suggestions over where to go next
As you have posted on the Coronavirus support thread rather than the Cutting Tax board, is this something to do with SEISS or similar?
there was a recent thread on the Cutting Tax board, is your case similar to this https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6273595/hmrc-asking-me-to-repay-from-a-rebate/p1
You may be better posting the story on the Cutting Tax board

[Deleted User]

Rip of Britain, my first thought
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wck32

tacpot12

Sorry lolls79. You should report the scam to ActionFraud, but they will not do anything about it. I'm afraid you are not going to be able to get this money back. 

I would suggest that you write to your MP because the banking system could be changed to avoid this - the problem is with overseas payments - once the money goes off shore the trail is lost. If the money has to remain on shore for 90 days there would be time for your fraud to be reported to your bank, the money traced and recovered. Evidence would be needed as to the source of money that was being sent off shore it it were to leave earlier than 90 days. I would also make it a rule that you can only send half of the money in the account, and the other half is locked up for 90 days in case the money sent abroad was stolen. These ideas would have a massive impact on international trade, but it would also create opportunities for banks to sell services to avoid the impacts while still protecting consumers.

GeordieGeorge

tacpot12 said:

Sorry lolls79. You should report the scam to ActionFraud, but they will not do anything about it. I'm afraid you are not going to be able to get this money back. 

I would suggest that you write to your MP because the banking system could be changed to avoid this - the problem is with overseas payments - once the money goes off shore the trail is lost. If the money has to remain on shore for 90 days there would be time for your fraud to be reported to your bank, the money traced and recovered. Evidence would be needed as to the source of money that was being sent off shore it it were to leave earlier than 90 days. I would also make it a rule that you can only send half of the money in the account, and the other half is locked up for 90 days in case the money sent abroad was stolen. These ideas would have a massive impact on international trade, but it would also create opportunities for banks to sell services to avoid the impacts while still protecting consumers.

You’re suggesting a 90 day holding period to send money out of the UK? That’s ludicrous. I pay money overseas all the time, why should the state impose controls on that?

Lolls79

tacpot12 said:

Sorry lolls79. You should report the scam to ActionFraud, but they will not do anything about it. I'm afraid you are not going to be able to get this money back. 

I would suggest that you write to your MP because the banking system could be changed to avoid this - the problem is with overseas payments - once the money goes off shore the trail is lost. If the money has to remain on shore for 90 days there would be time for your fraud to be reported to your bank, the money traced and recovered. Evidence would be needed as to the source of money that was being sent off shore it it were to leave earlier than 90 days. I would also make it a rule that you can only send half of the money in the account, and the other half is locked up for 90 days in case the money sent abroad was stolen. These ideas would have a massive impact on international trade, but it would also create opportunities for banks to sell services to avoid the impacts while still protecting consumers.

Thanks I have reported this with Action fraud straight away. 

tacpot12

GeordieGeorge said:

tacpot12 said:

Sorry lolls79. You should report the scam to ActionFraud, but they will not do anything about it. I'm afraid you are not going to be able to get this money back. 

I would suggest that you write to your MP because the banking system could be changed to avoid this - the problem is with overseas payments - once the money goes off shore the trail is lost. If the money has to remain on shore for 90 days there would be time for your fraud to be reported to your bank, the money traced and recovered. Evidence would be needed as to the source of money that was being sent off shore it it were to leave earlier than 90 days. I would also make it a rule that you can only send half of the money in the account, and the other half is locked up for 90 days in case the money sent abroad was stolen. These ideas would have a massive impact on international trade, but it would also create opportunities for banks to sell services to avoid the impacts while still protecting consumers.

You’re suggesting a 90 day holding period to send money out of the UK? That’s ludicrous. I pay money overseas all the time, why should the state impose controls on that?

To stop the scammers. If you had to leave an equivalent amount to the amount you were sending offshore in the account, you would be allowed to send the money immediately under my proposal.   

MattMattMattUK

tacpot12 said:

Sorry lolls79. You should report the scam to ActionFraud, but they will not do anything about it. I'm afraid you are not going to be able to get this money back. 

I would suggest that you write to your MP because the banking system could be changed to avoid this - the problem is with overseas payments - once the money goes off shore the trail is lost. If the money has to remain on shore for 90 days there would be time for your fraud to be reported to your bank, the money traced and recovered. Evidence would be needed as to the source of money that was being sent off shore it it were to leave earlier than 90 days. I would also make it a rule that you can only send half of the money in the account, and the other half is locked up for 90 days in case the money sent abroad was stolen. These ideas would have a massive impact on international trade, but it would also create opportunities for banks to sell services to avoid the impacts while still protecting consumers.

That would cripple international trade and destroy our economy, to a level that we would struggle to feed the nation and most modern technology would become almost impossible to import. That has to be one of the worst proposals I have ever seen.

tacpot12

MattMattMattUK said:

tacpot12 said:

Sorry lolls79. You should report the scam to ActionFraud, but they will not do anything about it. I'm afraid you are not going to be able to get this money back. 

I would suggest that you write to your MP because the banking system could be changed to avoid this - the problem is with overseas payments - once the money goes off shore the trail is lost. If the money has to remain on shore for 90 days there would be time for your fraud to be reported to your bank, the money traced and recovered. Evidence would be needed as to the source of money that was being sent off shore it it were to leave earlier than 90 days. I would also make it a rule that you can only send half of the money in the account, and the other half is locked up for 90 days in case the money sent abroad was stolen. These ideas would have a massive impact on international trade, but it would also create opportunities for banks to sell services to avoid the impacts while still protecting consumers.

That would cripple international trade and destroy our economy, to a level that we would struggle to feed the nation and most modern technology would become almost impossible to import. That has to be one of the worst proposals I have ever seen.

Large businesses would have no trouble evidencing the source of funds nor of keeping the amount being sent offshore on shore (nor would any normal person). The banks would also develop new services to help legitimate business work around the restrictions, but if we do nothing about this, sooner or later is it going to happen to someone you are about, and you will have been a nay-sayer against any kind of progress or response to the problem. 

Believe me, if someone had stolen £8,000 from you, you wouldn't give a stuff about international trade.

sheramber

What about Joe Bloggs buying from abroad?

 No business is going to wait 90 days for their money.

Jeremy535897

A debate on a possible solution for the future, however contentious, is irrelevant to OP. Now that the main banks have introduced CoP (confirmation of payee), what did OP put in as the transferee's account name (I am assuming we must have a bank transfer here)?

If it wasn't HMRC, why did OP make the transfer? If it was HMRC, why did the banks allow such an account to be opened?