Take Action â VAT Fraud Report
If a locksmith charged you VAT â check the number immediately. Charging VAT without being registered is a criminal offence. Report to HMRC on 0800 788 887. Free. Anonymous. HMRC can freeze accounts and pursue directors personally.
0800 788 887
HMRC fraud hotline â free
Anonymous
No personal details required
20 years
HMRC lookback period for fraud
Free
Report takes five minutes
Find the VAT number on your invoice
A VAT number looks like GB followed by 9 digits â for example GB307518216. If VAT was charged but no number appears â that is already a criminal offence.
Check it at gov.uk
Go to gov.uk/check-uk-vat-number. Enter the number. If it does not exist or does not match the company name on your invoice â report immediately.
Call HMRC on 0800 788 887
Free. Anonymous. Tell them the company name, the VAT number shown, the amount of VAT charged, and the date. That is all they need. You do not need to give your name.
HMRC can freeze bank accounts
Without a court order â powers Trading Standards do not have.
HMRC can pursue directors personally
The limited company shield does not protect against VAT fraud. Directors can be personally liable.
HMRC can go back 20 years
For deliberate fraud â not just recent activity. Historic VAT fraud can be fully investigated.
HMRC has financial motivation
Every pound of unpaid VAT recovered goes back to public funds. HMRC acts on good intelligence.
The HMRC report is the most powerful single action. But also report to Trading Standards â 0808 223 1133 â and Action Fraud â reportfraud.police.uk. Three simultaneous reports to three agencies about the same company creates an intelligence picture that enforcement agencies act on. See the full reporting guide â
Been overcharged by a locksmith?
Call your bank immediately. Trading Standards: 0808 223 1133. Report Fraud: reportfraud.police.uk.
How to get your money back âlocksmithscams.co.uk â independent public interest resource â not affiliated with any organisation. View the full bad actors database â