Scam reports have surfaced. According to the latest numbers from the tax office, HMRC phone calls have decreased by 97% in the last year.
Scammers impersonating HMRC in phone calls peaked at 79,477 in March 2021 and decreased to just 2,491 in December 2021, according to HMRC.
The decrease in scam phone complaints to HMRC has been mirrored elsewhere, with a 92 per cent decrease in phishing email reports and a 97 per cent decrease in scam text reports in the last year.
This indicates that the general public is becoming more aware of cybercriminals and the tactics they employ to deceive people.
HMRC’s Head of Cyber Security Operations, Mike Fell, said:
‘We put forth a lot of effort to safeguard the public from crooks who wreck people’s lives by stealing from them.’ Although it’s encouraging that fewer individuals are receiving and reporting these attempted scams, it’s still critical that they report any questionable contact to us.
‘We will continue to do all possible to safeguard the public from these unscrupulous attempts to defraud individuals by impersonating HMRC.’
