Furlough Fraud Investigation – HMRC Anonymous fraud hotline

HMRC is said to be investigating almost 8,000 reports of furlough fraud received via its anonymous fraud hotline, but this could just be the tip of the iceberg.

A recent survey revealed that around two thirds of respondents continued to work for their employer after being placed on furlough, which is against the rules of the scheme.

If the survey is representative of all CJRS claimants, it could mean millions of claims have been made fraudulently.

HMRC is encouraging those who have taken advantage of the system to voluntarily confess and those who don’t face hefty fines and potential reputational damage.