Another Consulting Overseas Victim?

[aova]

AML Scheme

If you receive a letter from HMRC requesting more information, please contact Actinium before responding.

Their telephone number is 0208 901 0222.

Many thanks to DonkeyRubarb for the telephone number.

[ashera247]

Another ConsultingOverseas victim..

Hi,

I was on the CO scheme back in 2002 and got all the letters and emails the previous threads have mentioned. I decided to settle on the promise of getting my cash back if the case was won by CO/Chiltern (though I'd be amazed if I see it again). Fortunately I was always dubious of the scheme and has the extra cash stowed away just in case.

I'd be interested in being involved in any group action that takes place though, especially if it helps to give the HMRC a boot.

Lewis - is that you Mr T???

Mr A.

[Luna]

Hi - I had a letter from HMRC saying I owed an awful lot of money from the CO period 03 - 04 and I was advised by Consulting Overseas to write an appeal sayng that Chiltern were representing me (they pay Chiltern)-

I have since been give conflicting advise about what to do - I now suspect that Chiltern have done a deal with the HMRC to get as many contractors to pay them and the HMRC will not seek to go to court if enough pay ? anyone esle recieved awful large bills from \HMrC in the last month ....??????? I belive the wording should be that Chiltern are being paid to represent me on behalf of OC /Sandfield??
I would like to get a group together to see if we can go after the Directors of CO and sanfield as a group if the HMRC are correct and we have been conned!!!!!!!! I already have about 30 contacts willing ....

I've had a rather large assessment for 3 years and am now in a quandry about whether to settle or not...HMRC do not have a great track record in court and it does seem like they are using their usual intimidatory tactics to get as many people to settle as possible. I think you may be right though that if they get sufficient, they may drop it. Add me to any group you have though because if I do get shafted... I will be pursuing the CO directors!

[sjagota]

CO / Sandfield Group?

Hi All,

I'm in a similar position and in a way am a bit annoyed why I didn't settle previously on teh premise that I would get my money back if the HMRC had failed in their investigation.

It seems that the HMRC were originally going to run a test case through to establish if the scheme worked, but their new policy is to divide and conquer (ie challenge individuals hoping that some of the cases are weak).

However I have spoken to Consulting Overseas about this recently. They still think that the Sandfield case is strong however as with anything its not 100%. There are some points for example the HMRC did look at banks by mistake and they think that Sandfield and Credex are the same company at least they want Sandfield to prove that this is not the case.

The sticking point is however that the HMRC want all details from everyone for the period they worked for Sandfield. This includes Bank Statements for where the Loan amount was paid into. The letters from Sandfield saying that a loan was being paied and the Credex account information.

The only problem I see here is that Credex sent spreadsheets by email and not everyone may still have these as its been quite a while.

I have a feeling that the HMRC are going to calculate liability by making Sandfield Empoyees pay 40% of the loan amount unless another agreement can be reached + interest at varying rates depending on year.

For someone who earned say 50k in loans over 2 years this would be about 20k in tax - a huge amount considering you have already paid tax on your salary and self assessment and if they were dividend the tax would have been a lot less plus of course interest.

I would also like to se agroup set-up - if only for like minded people in the same situation to get together so that individuals are not left to cope on their own and so that we can help each other with advice.

If a majority of us are still in London then I would agree that we should meet-up and I would be only too happy to arrange this for us all.

If I recieve sufficient replies I will set this up and we can get our first group going as soon as possible.

Adam, I will keep you informed as I know being in Aus makes it a little difficult, so rest assured if anything happens you'll know.

Please get anyone involved with this to get intouch with me via this forum and we'll go from there - the last thing we want is for people to incurr a huge tax bill when really they would have been better off anyway contracting normally. This was meant to be a safe scheme.

I was told the reason why Sandfield was originally investigated was because a former employee took the wrong tax advice from the wrong people and presented it to the HMRC during their own investigation in such a way that the HMRC had to investigate further.

This is also why Actinium are being investigated, however I think Actinium were a registered Tax Avoidance Scheme so that should be safe as far as I know.

Again get all involved to reply to this thread and I'll set-up a group.

[Dan]

I am currently living in New Zealand but am keen to be involved in any group action. Would this be OK?

Can I have your direct email as i would like to discuss a few details with you?

Hi All,

I'm in a similar position and in a way am a bit annoyed why I didn't settle previously on teh premise that I would get my money back if the HMRC had failed in their investigation.

It seems that the HMRC were originally going to run a test case through to establish if the scheme worked, but their new policy is to divide and conquer (ie challenge individuals hoping that some of the cases are weak).

However I have spoken to Consulting Overseas about this recently. They still think that the Sandfield case is strong however as with anything its not 100%. There are some points for example the HMRC did look at banks by mistake and they think that Sandfield and Credex are the same company at least they want Sandfield to prove that this is not the case.

The sticking point is however that the HMRC want all details from everyone for the period they worked for Sandfield. This includes Bank Statements for where the Loan amount was paid into. The letters from Sandfield saying that a loan was being paied and the Credex account information.

The only problem I see here is that Credex sent spreadsheets by email and not everyone may still have these as its been quite a while.

I have a feeling that the HMRC are going to calculate liability by making Sandfield Empoyees pay 40% of the loan amount unless another agreement can be reached + interest at varying rates depending on year.

For someone who earned say 50k in loans over 2 years this would be about 20k in tax - a huge amount considering you have already paid tax on your salary and self assessment and if they were dividend the tax would have been a lot less plus of course interest.

I would also like to se agroup set-up - if only for like minded people in the same situation to get together so that individuals are not left to cope on their own and so that we can help each other with advice.

If a majority of us are still in London then I would agree that we should meet-up and I would be only too happy to arrange this for us all.

If I recieve sufficient replies I will set this up and we can get our first group going as soon as possible.

Adam, I will keep you informed as I know being in Aus makes it a little difficult, so rest assured if anything happens you'll know.

Please get anyone involved with this to get intouch with me via this forum and we'll go from there - the last thing we want is for people to incurr a huge tax bill when really they would have been better off anyway contracting normally. This was meant to be a safe scheme.

I was told the reason why Sandfield was originally investigated was because a former employee took the wrong tax advice from the wrong people and presented it to the HMRC during their own investigation in such a way that the HMRC had to investigate further.

This is also why Actinium are being investigated, however I think Actinium were a registered Tax Avoidance Scheme so that should be safe as far as I know.

Again get all involved to reply to this thread and I'll set-up a group.

[sjagota]

Contact Details

Hi Dan,

I can be contacted on:

suniljagota@hotmail.com

Sunil

[Lewis]

I think Actinium were a registered Tax Avoidance Scheme so that should be safe as far as I know.

Being registered does not mean they are "approved" or safe. It just means they have declared themselves to HMRC as they are obliged to do by law and HMRC will get round to looking at them in their own time.

[Carlos_D]

I contracted through this lot between 2003-4 and since then have been out of the UK.

Just received a Notice of Further assessment from HMRC "Special Civil Investigations" department for approx 20K for the year to April 2004

Interest is also payable (although not detailed) from Jan 05 and a "surcharge" may also be payable.

I tried to telephone/email Consulting Overseas but the phone goes to voicemail and the emails bounced.

So ..... anyone know anything?

When I signed up they said the scheme was watertight .. had been approved by their tax lawyers etc.. etc.. Obviously not!

Will now be on the hunt for an accountant/lawyer I guess (any recommendations?) but wondered if anyone had any advice or news?

Anything much appreciated.

Bert, Have you made any progress as I have just received documents in the mail....

[bigfella]

Sandfield Consulting

In Similar predicament to Bert.

[dezze]

Did this scheme use an EBT, or were the loans administered by CO? (or another company)