Scammers have been contacting people, out of the blue, to steal their personal details under the guise of the £150 council tax rebate scheme. We look at how this council tax scam works and how to avoid it.
The council tax rebate scheme was recently announced and applies to “households liable for council tax on a property which is in council tax bands A-D and which they live in as their main home“.
Now…
If you pay your council tax via direct debit, the money will be paid automatically into your bank account.
If you do not pay your council tax by direct debit, your council will be in contact to arrange payment.
Now this is where the scammers come in by pretending to be from the council and calling you to ask for your bank details for payment!
How to avoid the council tax scam…
- Is the call out of the blue?
- Are you being asked for personal details?
- Is the caller stressing urgent action is required?
If the answer to all these is yes, then it’s highly likely it’s a scam!
Remember… your council will never ask for bank details over the phone!
Victim of a scam?
Report the scam to the police via Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report it anonymously on the Action Fraud website …
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
By the way, here are some more tips in how to stay ahead of the scammers.
