SCAM ALERT!

We are getting used to being under attack by scammers.

Only in the last week, I have had texts allegedly from Halifax and Tesco encouraging me to click on a link about my non-existent accounts.

HMRC letters, with very convincing logos, have been offering tax refunds for years. The giveaway is that this refund is in GBP and HMRC only use £.

This week I was also told by text I had a tax refund (fat chance of that) and then, by contrast, received a call suggesting I had been involved in a tax fraud (even less chance of a refund then !!)

This fraud call is particularly nasty.

A pre-recorded, very commanding, voice tells you to press 1 to avoid personal catastrophe.

It’s designed to intimidate and preys on the fact that many are scared of HMRC, and don’t realise that most people who work there are just doing a job, and probably don’t care if you pay your tax or not.

I had a particularly hard-nosed client who was reduced to a babbling wreck because of this call. Even when I told him it was a scam it took him a while to calm down.

So please be alert for this as well as protecting the NHS and saving lives.

Have you been the target of an attempted scam?

Have you had the ‘ tax fraud ‘call?

Do you normally get rewarded for failure?

If you get below the pass mark on an exam do they give you two other exam passes as a prize?

If you miss a plane do they give you a free flight somewhere more exotic?

If you make a huge mistake at work do you get a pay rise and promotion?

The answer is always no.

But Research and Development Tax Credits are different (the average claim is just under £54K).

They give you more money ?

Why?

Because they are government incentives rewarding innovation, provided in the form of tax refunds or tax savings, and this includes new products even if they don’t work.

I had a client who developed an app. It was a failure. He only had one client.

We made a claim, he received a tax refund, he improved the app, attracted lots of new clients, and made a ton of money.

If you try and develop a new product, and it doesn’t work, you can still get a tax refund!

That £ can help you make the product a success.

Have you developed a product and it hasn’t worked – yet?

Would you like the government and HMRC to team up to help you get it right?

Do you think my obsession with R and D Tax Credits is unhealthy? That’s okay but if you want to know anything more about claiming R and D tax credits, get in touch and I’ll happily help.