VAT question

[Walterp]

Not sure about this and I wondered if anyone else has encountered it?

Julie has been VAT registered for many years at our home unit, nearly always receiving a VAT refund every quarter like most farming businesses. A month or two ago she received a postal notification of a new VAT registered business being based at our place, to a person whose name is unknown to us. The postal details are spot-on, even to the post code, but we've never heard of the guy. We have lived in the district for nearly 20 years, so it's a real puzzler.

We 'phone up and tell HMRC that we've never heard of this person, and he certainly isn't running a business from here.

Subsequently we receive a postal notification that the newly-registered VAT business has been paid just under £7,000 as a VAT refund, to bank details that are, again, nothing to do with Julie.

Has this happened to anyone else, please?

 

[snowhite]

no but it is fishy

 

[bobk]

Not sure about this and I wondered if anyone else has encountered it?

Julie has been VAT registered for many years at our home unit, nearly always receiving a VAT refund every quarter like most farming businesses. A month or two ago she received a postal notification of a new VAT registered business being based at our place, to a person whose name is unknown to us. The postal details are spot-on, even to the post code, but we've never heard of the guy. We have lived in the district for nearly 20 years, so it's a real puzzler.

We 'phone up and tell HMRC that we've never heard of this person, and he certainly isn't running a business from here.

Subsequently we receive a postal notification that the newly-registered VAT business has been paid just under £7,000 as a VAT refund, to bank details that are, again, nothing to do with Julie.

Has this happened to anyone else, please?

Round here is the capital for vat scammers in the UK although most have been locked up now, mostly mobile phone stuff .
I would speak with your accountant asap and let him deal with hmrc, the next payment could be a big un

 

[Exfarmer]

very simple, steal somebodies address
use this to register as a new business
its all on line.
stick in a claim for refund on set up costs
then sit back and watch your account get filled, exit to Nigeria with Dosh.

thankfully now HMRC are used to this so first refund is usually preceded by a visit to check you out.
Have had 2 now in ten months of trading

 

[Blue.]

very simple, steal somebodies address
use this to register as a new business
its all on line.
stick in a claim for refund on set up costs
then sit back and watch your account get filled, exit to Nigeria with Dosh.

thankfully now HMRC are used to this so first refund is usually preceded by a visit to check you out.
Have had 2 now in ten months of trading

Had a visit when I 1st started,chap said it was to check we existed.

 

[neilo]

Had a visit when I 1st started,chap said it was to check we existed.

I only had a phone call, to check a few claims, then had to send copies of a couple of invoices. I obviously appeared more honest, and they felt they didn't need to visit.

On the OP, yes sounds very dodgy.

 

[Hilly]

Not sure about this and I wondered if anyone else has encountered it?

Julie has been VAT registered for many years at our home unit, nearly always receiving a VAT refund every quarter like most farming businesses. A month or two ago she received a postal notification of a new VAT registered business being based at our place, to a person whose name is unknown to us. The postal details are spot-on, even to the post code, but we've never heard of the guy. We have lived in the district for nearly 20 years, so it's a real puzzler.

We 'phone up and tell HMRC that we've never heard of this person, and he certainly isn't running a business from here.

Subsequently we receive a postal notification that the newly-registered VAT business has been paid just under £7,000 as a VAT refund, to bank details that are, again, nothing to do with Julie.

Has this happened to anyone else, please?

It will probably trigger an inspection for yourselves.

 

[Flossie]

Had a couple of spam emails allegedly from HMRC saying we have been underpaid and are due a refund. Just have to click on the link................

 

[Blue.]

I only had a phone call, to check a few claims, then had to send copies of a couple of invoices. I obviously appeared more honest, and they felt they didn't need to visit.

On the OP, yes sounds very dodgy.

I believe mine was flagged up because I bought a tractor so had an unusually high return,I did know of a local idiot who charged vat and used Macdonalds vat number,he was last heard of in court claiming he'd lost his memory.

 

[neilo]

I believe mine was flagged up because I bought a tractor so had an unusually high return,I did know of a local idiot who charged vat and used Macdonalds vat number,he was last heard of in court claiming he'd lost his memory.

My first one was a tractor, a Merlo, SFP entitlements and quite a few other smaller items. I suspect they can usually tell by speaking to someone or seeing them.

 

[Dr. Alkathene]

I would get something in writing / email to HMRC as soon as. Then you have something a little more concrete than we rang you xx months ago and told you about it. They may well come a poking round in your affairs while they are at it.

 

[Blue.]

My first one was a tractor, a Merlo, SFP entitlements and quite a few other smaller items. I suspect they can usually tell by speaking to someone or seeing them.

Trouble with my visit was I hadn't been given an invoice from the dealer they wouldn't pay my vat back till I sent it them.

 

[Thick Farmer]

The scammers probably saw your farm advertised and thought it would have new owners soon so a good time to register a new business at that address.

They probably didn't expect you to buy it back!

 

[MrNoo]

Sounds like a scam. Probably pays a lot better than farming mind!!! We had a visit for what I though would be the last 1/4`s books (due to claiming vat back on combine on HP) only to be told when she arrived that the last inspection was in 1972, needless to say she was here all day, even ran out of milk she drank that much tea!! But was very human at the end of the day.

 

[Hilly]

Sounds like a scam. Probably pays a lot better than farming mind!!! We had a visit for what I though would be the last 1/4`s books (due to claiming vat back on combine on HP) only to be told when she arrived that the last inspection was in 1972, needless to say she was here all day, even ran out of milk she drank that much tea!! But was very human at the end of the day.

They didn't trawl back to 72 surley ??, thought you only had to keep 7-8 years worth??

 

[Robw54]

Not sure about this and I wondered if anyone else has encountered it?

Julie has been VAT registered for many years at our home unit, nearly always receiving a VAT refund every quarter like most farming businesses. A month or two ago she received a postal notification of a new VAT registered business being based at our place, to a person whose name is unknown to us. The postal details are spot-on, even to the post code, but we've never heard of the guy. We have lived in the district for nearly 20 years, so it's a real puzzler.

We 'phone up and tell HMRC that we've never heard of this person, and he certainly isn't running a business from here.

Subsequently we receive a postal notification that the newly-registered VAT business has been paid just under £7,000 as a VAT refund, to bank details that are, again, nothing to do with Julie.

Has this happened to anyone else, please?

Amazed they paid out without a visit.

 

[MrNoo]

They didn't trawl back to 72 surley ??, thought you only had to keep 7-8 years worth??

No, she only went back 2 years, fortunately last years accounts were still rattling around in the back of the farm truck, covered in black dog hair, she didn`t take too much interest in them to be honest!!!