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At nine o'clock this morning I received a call on my mobile, purportedly from Irish Revenue and Customs, warning me that they were instituting proceedings against me for false tax declarations. I was advised to call a Dublin number that I was given in order to discuss this matter.
OK. Three things wrong here to start with. The Irish revenue is the Revenue Commissioners, not the "Irish Revenue and Customs", then I have a tax clearance certificate from the Revenue stating that my tax affairs are in order, and the Revenue tax office doesn't open until 09.30.
I called the Dublin number, which just happened to be the same one upon which I was called, and I spoke to a gentleman with an Indian accent (something of a surprise, since in all my years of dealing with the Revenue I have never spoken with anyone who had other than an Irish accent). I explained that my tax affairs are in order, so why this prosecution? "No. It is not a prosecution as yet. You are entitled to a tax refund of €592, but you must notify us that you accept it."
"But I am not due for any tax refund from my latest accounts."
"It is ***ulative. Refunds that you are due over a number of years. All you must do is to provide us with your business credit or debit card details so that we can lodge the money into your account."
"Right so: if I don't accept a refund from Revenue I could be prosecuted? That just has to be a new development! In any case, if you are indeed from the Revenue Commissioners, since you already have my bank details on file and you have been using them for years you hardly need them again? Whatever, I have no intention of giving you credit or debit card details over the 'phone!"
CLICK. Call terminated
I would guess that this is not another scam particular to Ireland given the accent of the scammer. Oh well, I suppose that I am now down €592. Pity. I could have used that to pay my next electricity bill! I suppose I will just have to wait for the next Nigerian prince who wants to pay me a few millions for the use of my bank account.
This business of scam phone calls and Internet malware is getting out of control. I might bin my mobile phone, cancel my ISP service, disconnect my landline, and build a Donald Trump wall around my house to keep away all these people who just happen to be doing some tarmacking on a few driveways in the area and wondered if I might be interested…? Messages attached to the legs of pigeons seem attractive as they are not open to Trojans (too heavy) or viruses (other than, perhaps, fowl pest), or malware given that all the birds around me s**t on my car and distribute the malware upon it where it can be washed off.
It seems that nowadays everyone has to be wide awake to the criminal fraternity that is inventing new scams, malware, blackmail and ransomeware almost every day. (Cloud)
OK. Three things wrong here to start with. The Irish revenue is the Revenue Commissioners, not the "Irish Revenue and Customs", then I have a tax clearance certificate from the Revenue stating that my tax affairs are in order, and the Revenue tax office doesn't open until 09.30.
I called the Dublin number, which just happened to be the same one upon which I was called, and I spoke to a gentleman with an Indian accent (something of a surprise, since in all my years of dealing with the Revenue I have never spoken with anyone who had other than an Irish accent). I explained that my tax affairs are in order, so why this prosecution? "No. It is not a prosecution as yet. You are entitled to a tax refund of €592, but you must notify us that you accept it."
"But I am not due for any tax refund from my latest accounts."
"It is ***ulative. Refunds that you are due over a number of years. All you must do is to provide us with your business credit or debit card details so that we can lodge the money into your account."
"Right so: if I don't accept a refund from Revenue I could be prosecuted? That just has to be a new development! In any case, if you are indeed from the Revenue Commissioners, since you already have my bank details on file and you have been using them for years you hardly need them again? Whatever, I have no intention of giving you credit or debit card details over the 'phone!"
CLICK. Call terminated
I would guess that this is not another scam particular to Ireland given the accent of the scammer. Oh well, I suppose that I am now down €592. Pity. I could have used that to pay my next electricity bill! I suppose I will just have to wait for the next Nigerian prince who wants to pay me a few millions for the use of my bank account.
This business of scam phone calls and Internet malware is getting out of control. I might bin my mobile phone, cancel my ISP service, disconnect my landline, and build a Donald Trump wall around my house to keep away all these people who just happen to be doing some tarmacking on a few driveways in the area and wondered if I might be interested…? Messages attached to the legs of pigeons seem attractive as they are not open to Trojans (too heavy) or viruses (other than, perhaps, fowl pest), or malware given that all the birds around me s**t on my car and distribute the malware upon it where it can be washed off.
It seems that nowadays everyone has to be wide awake to the criminal fraternity that is inventing new scams, malware, blackmail and ransomeware almost every day. (Cloud)
