More than £23,000 stolen by fraudsters in Nottinghamshire following HMRC scam

The force has worked closely with Action Fraud to support the victims after receiving 21 reports between March 15-21.

One 38-year-old man, who has asked not to be named, lost £7,750 as English was his second language and had fallen victim to the scam.

Meanwhile, a 59-year-old woman was conned out of close to £1,000 and nearly fell for the same scam twice – before the bank stopped a second transaction of £1,100 to fraudsters.

A vulnerable 69-year-old woman also lost £1,100 after she visited her local bank and transferred the money.

Police says she only realised it was a scam when the fraudsters called the next day wanting a further £1,000.

Now concerned detectives from Nottinghamshire Police's fraud department have issued a warning urging people to be on their guard against con artists.

The scammers, pretending to work for HMRC, would normally call by using a withheld number or 'spoofed' telephone numbers that match a genuine number.

Officers say the caller would typically tell the victim they are investigating some fraudulent activity due to unpaid taxes or that their National Insurance number has been linked to fraud.

The scammers will then ask for a payment to be made to a suspect account.

Fraud protection officer Laura Murdock wants anyone who believes they have been targeted to report any incidents to police and also to talk to their friends and family to make them aware.

She said: "We want to warn members of public about this type of fraud, we have worked really hard in Nottinghamshire by educating and working with the public through strong communication messages about possible scams.

"Please be vigilant when you answer a call from a withheld number, especially if they ask you to disclose personal or financial information.

"If you receive a call you're not sure about, always insist on verifying the caller's identity. If you're calling them back, use a number known to be connected to the organisation in question, not the one provided by the caller.

"Make this call from a separate telephone line to the one that the call was received if you can. If you don't have one, wait at least 10 minutes before calling on the same line.

"Legitimate organisations will understand you wanting to make these steps and will not take issue with it.

"Please note, HMRC, the police or your bank will never contact you and demand a payment is made. They will also never ask you for your National Insurance details or your bank details including your PIN.

"Please continue to spread the word ensuring elderly or vulnerable loved ones and neighbours are aware of these types of scams."

Anyone who believes they are a victim of a scam should report the incident to Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre, on 0300 123 2040 or contact police on 101.