Had a nervous meeting today with the HMRC Special Investigations team, who swooped on us.
I thought it was a VAT inspection, but assumed we'd get more notice, but when I was asked if we had been trading in scrap metal, I knew something was up! 
After a few tense questions, it quickly became apparent we weren't the Bulgarian Mafia 
So it turns out our VAT number has been hi-jacked, originally in January, where a fake website was set up using our business address and VAT number, and apparently we were exporting tractors into Europe. Then more recently it looks like we have got into the scrap metal game, and this week we've started importing stuff to Canada!
HMRC suspect the reason we've been targeted is because we display our VAT number on our website along with our business address and Company registration number. I incorrectly thought you had to as part of the requirements a couple of years ago, where you have to now display your trading address and Ltd company number.
Apparently the likes of High Street stores and convenience stores are also regular targets as they tend to display VAT info on their receipts.
So a lesson learned, and visible VAT numbers have now been taken down, but if anyone else is displaying them, then I'd recommend you also take them down. The only people who need to see your VAT number are paying customers.
If you do find yourself falling prey to this scam, don't panic, just simply log a call with ActionFraud. It's a quick and easy process, and once they have it logged, you don't need to do anything else.
Right time to change my underpants 
