New VAT number scam

what

After setting up a new company I created a government gateway account to register for vat.
A month after receiving the number by post I tried to add it the my gateway account.
”already registered to another gateway account”
Apparently the numbers are being intercepted somewhere and you can add them to any gateway account! Even though I needed a new account to get the number in the first place.
now I can’t do a vat return until they investigate.
” Please pay any vat demands or you will be fined “

Key is to register your vat number asap?
anyone else experience this and how long to sort out ?
im owed quite a bit of vat
tia

what

Presume I’m alone with this issue ?
a month past my first due vat return ( and money owed to me ) they still can’t and won’t discuss when it will be resolved 

sonearandyetsofa

Might have more luck here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/small-biz-charities-moneysaving

Have you had accountants at any point? If you have, talk to them - chances are it's on their account instead. I had something similar after switching accountants.

HMRC don't do anything fast except bill you.

what

sonearandyetsofa said:

Might have more luck here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/small-biz-charities-moneysaving

Have you had accountants at any point? If you have, talk to them - chances are it's on their account instead. I had something similar after switching accountants.

HMRC don't do anything fast except bill you.

Hi, it wasn’t the accountants. All they will say is that it was assigned to another gateway account. How is that possible ?! 

Happened to a few people of you google it.
i don’t see why of all my info is correct they can’t just unassign and let me connect it to the original verified gateway 

SiliconChip

sonearandyetsofa said:

Might have more luck here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/small-biz-charities-moneysaving

I've reported it with a suggestion that it should be moved to the Cutting Tax board, where people who have expertise with the intricacies of HMRC are more likely to see it.

monkey-fingers

I mentioned this in another post today.
Same thing happened to my company.

https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tax/business-tax/rising-vat-fraud-continues-to-hit-businesses

It's very common.

monkey-fingers

what said:

sonearandyetsofa said:

Might have more luck here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/small-biz-charities-moneysaving

Have you had accountants at any point? If you have, talk to them - chances are it's on their account instead. I had something similar after switching accountants.

HMRC don't do anything fast except bill you.

Hi, it wasn’t the accountants. All they will say is that it was assigned to another gateway account. How is that possible ?! 

Happened to a few people of you google it.
i don’t see why of all my info is correct they can’t just unassign and let me connect it to the original verified gateway 

The reason they can't is because the scammers will have already claimed between £8000 and £18000 in VAT back. So this needs to be unpicked.

If you read the link I posted, someone pointed out that after 2-3 months they were given a new VAT number.
This will be a problem for me, because I just paid £1800 in VAT to HMRC so is going to need unpicking too.

Fortunately for me, they've not tried to change the address (which is different to my companies house address). And because I'm registered for the flat rate scheme, it won't be quite so easy.

monkey-fingers

sonearandyetsofa said:

Might have more luck here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/small-biz-charities-moneysaving

Have you had accountants at any point? If you have, talk to them - chances are it's on their account instead. I had something similar after switching accountants.

HMRC don't do anything fast except bill you.

Accountants can't help you at all.

This is an HMRC problem.

what

Sounds like an inside job, someone giving out new VAT numbers.
and it’s insane that you create a gateway, all authenticated and someone else can register it to another business or address.
Typical useless uk system 

Momogeew

what said:

Sounds like an inside job, someone giving out new VAT numbers.
and it’s insane that you create a gateway, all authenticated and someone else can register it to another business or address.
Typical useless uk system 

Tangent .....
And what are you doing to make the UK a better place ?
So many people moan about the country but aren't playing any part in making it better, until people's attitudes change they're continuing its downhill spiral.
Rant over 🙄😠
Back to topic.

monkey-fingers

what said:

Sounds like an inside job, someone giving out new VAT numbers.
and it’s insane that you create a gateway, all authenticated and someone else can register it to another business or address.
Typical useless uk system 

No, it's not an inside job.
When you register for VAT, I was under the understanding that you can't find out your VAT number until it comes through your door.

It turns out there are other legal methods of finding it out before that.