Business owners are reminded that Revenue will never contact you seeking bank or credit card details, after another scamÂ’s emerged.
This latest scam begins with an email appearing to be from Revenue, telling the business owner that theyÂ’'re being taken to court and to call them back.
Today FM called the number, to be told that they could avoid court, if a sum of around €3000 was collected.
Juliette Gash reports;
The email received by a business owner was as follows;
Contact Name: Revenue
Tel Number: 015134677
Message: Automated message: said this was a final notice to let you know that Revenue is filing a suit against you and to call them back immediately.
The Revenue Commissioners issued the following statement;
Unfortunately, phishing emails, claiming to come from banks, credit card companies, government departments etc., are not uncommon. We regularly post warning messages on our website to alert customers when we become aware of phishing scams or fraudulent emails purporting to come from Revenue, which seek personal information and/or credit card details from taxpayers in connection with a tax refund.
These scam emails do not issue from Revenue and these emails in no way involve our systems and security.
Revenue has become aware of a small number of individuals who received phone calls from a person purporting to work in Revenue, referring to a ‘law suit’ and/or demanding the immediate payment of a tax bill over the phone, and/or requesting credit card details.
This individual is not calling from Revenue.
In general terms, Revenue’s Collector General’s Division is responsible for debt collection, and will always make the initial contact in writing. Anyone who gets a telephone call demanding payment of tax about which they have any doubt, should contact our Collector General's Division (1890 20 30 70).
Anyone who receives a telephone call purporting to be from Revenue about which they have any doubts, particularly if the call is out of the blue, should contact their local Revenue Office.
Although we have not received reports of anyone being taken in by this scam, anyone who mistakenly provides personal information in response to these types of fraudulent phone calls should contact their bank or credit card company immediately and report the matter to An Garda Síochana.
It’s important to point out that these types of scams in no way involve Revenue’s systems or security.
Revenue will never send emails requiring customers to send personal information via email or pop-up windows. Pages on our website www.revenue.ie which request personal information are encrypted and the taxpayer can verify, after login, that the page is secure by looking for a padlock icon in their browser.
Revenue does not recommend sending personal information by email. Revenue’s secure online enquiry facility, called MyEnquiries is a structured online contact facility that allows customers to securely send and receive correspondence to and from Revenue instead of using email. Agents can also submit queries on behalf of their clients. New users can register for MyEnquiries on www.revenue.ie.
Revenue’s internet facing sites are ISO27001 certified. This is a globally recognised Information Security Standard which is independently audited and sets requirements in areas such as information security organisation; data handling; and networks; ensuring that taxpayers personal information is secure.
