VATF23520 - What is VAT fraud?: examples of different types of VAT fraud: missing trader intra-community (MTIC) fraud: descriptions of those involved in MTIC fraud
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappre are a number of entities involved in perpetrating MTIC fraud, and sometimes the array of titles used to describe them can seem baffling. This section provides a brief description of each entity and the role it plays.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp defaulter
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp defaulter can also be known as ‘the missing traderâ€�, ‘the acquirerâ€�, or ‘the hijack traderâ€�, depending on the particular facts. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp important thing to remember is that this is the entity that defaults on its VAT liability.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp missing trader
This is a UK VAT registered entity that has incurred a VAT liability but has either:
- failed to render one or more VAT returns, or
- has rendered the return but has failed to make payment.
As the name suggests, this entity ‘disappears� when HMRC tries to make contact, leaving no forwarding address, books or records.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp acquirer
This is a UK VAT registered entity that acquires goods from another EC Member State and then sells those goods on to another UK VAT registered entity. In most cases this entity then ‘disappears�, leaving an unpaid VAT liability.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp hijack trader
This is a UK non-VAT registered entity that uses (‘hijacks�) another VAT registered entity’s VAT number. In most cases the ‘hijacked� entity will not know about this until HMRC makes contact to verify the supplies.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp buffer
A UK VAT registered taxable person who is placed in the transaction chain between the defaulter and the broker. Depending on the complexity of the fraud, there can be any number of buffers.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp broker
A UK VAT registered taxable person who sits at the end of the transaction chain and either dispatches or exports the goods or services. As the supply is zero rated it incurs an input tax liability but no output tax liability, thus making its VAT return a repayment return.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp contra trader
Contra trading is looked at in greater detail in VATF23550.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp conduit trader
Conduit trading is described in VATF36300.