Karen Gibbons

Hi I was a victim of this fraud. The money was paid to Brooksdale who used a API link to get my signature and send in the forms. HMRC sent me the forms which I'd never seen before and never signed. I've tried action fraud and got nowhere. I tried Which legal and Brooksdale are unregistered so I can't get any further there. Brooksdale are not replying to emails. It just bounced back. Theyd id reply to a letter I sent recorded. I've checke this year to make sure HMRC don't decide to process any other rogue claims to any other companies, so far so good, I'm unticked go paperless so at least now I'll get a letter if they try to. But where do I go from here. Brooksdale have the money. I didnt ask them to claim. and they said "In relation to the signature provided this was done electronically and this was API linked into our system. This is authorisation for us to act on your behalf." so surely that proves I didnt sign anything. Please advise

Hi I tried to contact Brooksdale via the email they originally sent, without my requesting it, to me. It came back that I was blocked. So, I sent a letter recorded delivery. They have replied by email with a PDF letter attached. 1. I would like to make you aware that when the sign up was completed you will have received an email and SMS with a welcome pack and a copy of our terms and conditions. I have attached a copy of the terms and conditions for your records. Since the sign up was 02/04/2023 we have not received any communications to dispute this was yourself/your details. ==>I didn't reply to it as I didn't recognise the company and thought it was a scam. I don't click on links I don't recognise. 2. In relation to the signature provided this was done electronically and this was API linked into our system. This is authorisation for us to act on your behalf. ==>An API, they don't say where the signature came from originally. 3, When a customer completes an online application form and signs up with Brooksdale Limited we do also capture certain details such as the IP address when the sign up was completed. ==>the details attached match the model of my mobile.but I don't recognise the rest of the details and OpalNet, that's not an ISP I recognise. I definitely didnt complete a form. When I was considering whether to claim or I may have clicked on a link but I have no record of any forms. I have tried to update the report I lodged with ActionFraud in May but I can't see where to upload the document. How do I ensure Brooksdale or another random agent doesn't grab my details and try to get tax refunds in the future. regards 

I also went through ClaimGuys and maybe I didn't see the small print. BUT 1) that was years ago 2) Brooksdale is a completely different company name 3) The document they sent into HMRC had what looked to be a condensed scanned copy of my signature. I hadn't seen the form before nor have I signed This has to be fraud surely, but Action Fraud say nothing further they can do. I'm not even sure that the tax refund is correct as the form they filled in didn't look to me to have the right figures on it. I haven't contacted Brooksdale at all, as I think the issue should be resolved HMRC end as they acceptd the documents without contacting me to check they were genuine. What do I do now?

Now checked with actionfraud, and despite me no having asked Brookdale to request a tax refund , despite brooksdale sending in forms with what looks like a bad scan of my signature ...there's nothing they can do. I went paperless with HMRC so I didn't get a letter about the tax refund , and I ignored brooksdale texts thinking they were a scam I'm cancelled going paperless now But what's to stop brooksdale doing it again next year. Seeing as they seem to have been getting away with it for the last 3 years based on just this forum post alone. And what do I do if HMRC try to take back the money the refunded that I haven't had ?

This year I researched PPI tax refund online, but decided not to go ahead. I didn't sign up with anyone, complete any forms, or give anyone authority to proceed on my behalf. Then I started getting text messages and emails from Brooksdale saying they had an HMRC refund for me. As I hadn't applied I ignored completely, but they persisted. In the end I researched the name and found this forum. Logged onto my HMRC account, which I'd switched to email notifications only, and found they'd paid out for tax years 2021 and 2022 to Brooksdale. Took me ages to get through on the phone, mostly it kept dropping. But when I finally did get through I was told there was nothing they could do, they'd had the completed form from Brooksdale and paid out. They sent me copied of the form. The signature at the end looks to be a condensed scanned in copy of my signature, I have never seen the forms before . They said to raise a case with Action Fraud which I did in May and ring back with the reference. I did this and actionfraud site said could take a few months. I gave the reference and HMRC said can do nothing till a decision is made. I said the forms didn't seem to be completed fully anyway so I don't think the refund is due, they said not to worry about that they'd simply take it back next year. BUT I HAVEN'T HAD ANY MONEY. Nothing has happened since, I've logged onto actionfraud it still says waiting review. I've logged on the HMRC and it's still showing the monies were paid out. Where do I go from here. My worry is as the forms weren't fully completed, HMRC will claw it back next year and my family will be down the money they paid out to Brooksdale. Please advise.