‘They are brutal, cunning and clever’

MARTINA Zvirinska lost almost £2,000 after being targeted by ‘vile’ scammers last week.

The young businesswoman, pictured, was just one of thousands of British people targeted every day by con artists claiming to be HMRC officials.

Miss Zvirinska, 29, who runs her own personal training business, said she was reduced to tears on the phone after being threatened with immediate arrest if she refused to pay what they were asking for.

She said: ‘The intimidation was brutal. They are so cunning and clever. I’m a switched-on girl, I own my own business and I still paid. The way they speak to you is unreal. I was relentlessly threatened and manipulated. But I genuinely believed I was on the phone with a real officer or administrator from the Government.

She added: ‘They told me if I didn’t pay now I’d face £79,000 in court fees.’ She said a major problem was the way they contacted from a genuine HMRC number which they made me a check on the website.

‘After that I thought it had to be real. How else could they have that number? It still makes no sense to me. I was brought up to respect authority. I always pay my taxes, but of course you have this fear that there was a miscalculation. I just wanted to pay what I owed to avoid any trouble.

She made an initial payment of £1,983, but when the fraudsters demanded she make more payments she spoke to an accountant friend who told her it must be a scam.

But even after that the gang continued to hound her, demanding more cash.

Miss Zvirinska said: ‘They kept calling. They wanted to squeeze every penny out of me. I believe 100 per cent the authorities must do more to tackle these criminals. I also want as many people to know what these scammers are up to so hopefully others don’t fall for it.’