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Is this letter a scam?

HugoandHudsonsmum
HugoandHudsonsmum Posts: 71 Forumite
10 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
in Benefits & tax credits
Hi my mum got a letter a few days ago from HMRC saying that they owe her money for the tax year 2003-2004 however that's over 20 years ago and she wasn't even working she was on income support at the time is this letter a scam? 

It's asking her to phone them and to provide her bank details so they can pay her?
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Comments

  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 7,104 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    HugoandHudsonsmum said:
    Hi my mum got a letter a few days ago from HMRC saying that they owe her money for the tax year 2003-2004 however that's over 20 years ago and she wasn't even working she was on income support at the time is this letter a scam? 

    It's asking her to phone them and to provide her bank details so they can pay her?
    I'd say it's a scam.
  • la531983
    la531983 Posts: 3,905 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Is the phone number one thats on the HMRC website?
  • itsthelittlethings
    itsthelittlethings Posts: 2,240 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Does it look like the boilerplate HMRC letter?
  • Ms_Chocaholic
    Ms_Chocaholic Posts: 13,397 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I received a tax rebate recently and received a letter from HMRC, it was genuine but I didn't need to ring anyone to give my bank details, it sounds like a scam.

    Thrifty Till 50 Then Spend Till the End
    You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 8,762 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Don't go by looks.
    I worked in a solicitors and someone managed a perfect lookalike stationary. 

    Everything about this shouts scam.
    It's the time scale.

    You can't phone the HMRC. They contact through online systems 

    Is there a reference number?

    Is it marked P800?

    Refund letters come march to July 


    I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!

    viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on

    The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well


  • itsthelittlethings
    itsthelittlethings Posts: 2,240 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Yes, the timescale is concerning.
  • Muttleythefrog
    Muttleythefrog Posts: 20,658 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 10 January at 9:14PM
    Check out the phone number.. is it an official one for the DWP or HMRC... if genuine call it and ask about the letter at which point they should be able to tell you if legitimate letter or not. Crucial is to only make contact through official channels.
    "Do not attribute to conspiracy what can adequately be explained by incompetence" - rogerblack
  • Ms_Chocaholic
    Ms_Chocaholic Posts: 13,397 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    twopenny said:
    Don't go by looks.
    I worked in a solicitors and someone managed a perfect lookalike stationary. 

    Everything about this shouts scam.
    It's the time scale.

    You can't phone the HMRC. They contact through online systems 

    Is there a reference number?

    Is it marked P800?

    Refund letters come march to July 



    My genuine tax rebate letter arrived last month
    Thrifty Till 50 Then Spend Till the End
    You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time
  • Newbie_John
    Newbie_John Posts: 1,555 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    Simply paste the phone number from that letter and we will tell you..
  • Dazed_and_C0nfused
    Dazed_and_C0nfused Posts: 19,161 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Name Dropper
    HugoandHudsonsmum said:
    Hi my mum got a letter a few days ago from HMRC saying that they owe her money for the tax year 2003-2004 however that's over 20 years ago and she wasn't even working she was on income support at the time is this letter a scam? 

    It's asking her to phone them and to provide her bank details so they can pay her?
    Is the letter in respect of income tax or tax credits?
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