Fraudulent phone calls from 'HMRC'

HMRC are drawing attention to an increase in the amount of fraudulent phone calls being made by individuals purporting to be calling from HMRC .  These phone calls to taxpayers offer bogus tax refunds and ask for bank credit card details over the phone in order to 'process' the repayments due.  HMRC stress that they only ever contact taxpayers due a refund in writing by post and never by phone, email or through the use of external companies.  The fraudulent calls are being made from both inside the UK and around the world.  HMRC in liaison with law enforcement agencies have shut down spam networks in the UK, South Korea, USA, Japan, Austria, Mexico and Thailand but the problem of fraudulent activity continues.