Finance

Thames Valley: Whitley Stimpson foils cyber-fraud with new slant

Published by
TBM Team

Owen Kyffin, a tax expert and director of Whitley Stimpson, one of the largest independent accountancy practices in the area, recently foiled a new variety of cyber-fraud attempt against one of his clients. The client had a message on his answering machine saying HMRC was trying to reach him to tell him it was filing a law suit against him and urging him to speak to his case officer by returning the call. HMRC confirmed that the call was a scam. 

Kyffin said: “Unfortunately this sort of thing is becoming more common. Cyber thieves are using false phone messages and emails to con business people. The Revenue and Customs service does sometimes phone its clients but they never ask for personal details. There are several helpful websites which give advice on fraud of all kinds and cyber-fraud in particular but I would suggest that if business people are still in doubt they can always ring their accountant.”

HMRC has released guidance on genuine correspondence from it and how to spot attempts at fraud on its website. Further guidance is available on www.actionfraud.police.uk or www.getsafeonline.org and www.cyberstreetwise.com/cyberessentials

TBM Team

Recent Posts

Publisher Future plc sees in-line trading in first-half

Bath-based Future plc, the publisher of specialist online and print magazines, said trading in its…

2 days ago

IS-Instruments Ltd and Bristol university among six UKAEA contract winners

The university of Bristol was one of six organisations to receive a contract from the…

2 days ago

Oxford BioDynamics teams up with King's College in bid to boost rheumatoid arthritis prevention

Oxford BioDynamics Plc is teaming up with researchers at King's College London in a bid…

2 days ago

UK needs quarter of a million extra construction workers by 2028

More than a quarter of a million extra construction workers are needed in the UK…

2 days ago

Vistry makes good start to year, bolstered by partnership model

Kent-based housebuilder Vistry revealed it was on track to deliver more than 10% growth in…

2 days ago

Dorset start-up with green ambitions boosted by SWIG Finance loan

A Dorset-based company, which has developed ground-breaking technology to recycle plastic waste and turn it…

2 days ago