SCAM ALERT!

A  business in Bodmin received calls on the 02/03/2023 from a male claiming to be a bailiff. The male told the person that she owed £848 to HMRC and that she had to pay, providing account details for a personal Barclays bank account. At first it appeared genuine, the male provided a name, his badge number, a reference number and a telephone number for Northampton Court.

When the person challenged the male, he stated that he knew where she and the other director lived and provided their addresses. He stated that he had locksmiths going to her property to enable him access and that he was travelling, providing her with the local landmarks he was allegedly passing. As a limited company, their addresses are available online.

When the person had not transferred the money, the male became aggressive on the phone and told the person to “shut the f**k up”. The person then ended the call and has not received any further contact.

Luckily the person recognised quite quickly that this was a scam, however it is concerning that it is coming across as genuine in the first instance and it could catch many people out.