Craven District Council : Craven residents warned of scam calls about council tax

Craven residents are being warned again to be vigilant after reports of a person making scam calls suggesting people are entitled to a council tax refund.

The initial caller is confirming name, date of birth and asking for the name of their bank and tells them he will arrange a refund. A second call is then made from someone pretending to be from their bank.

Residents are being urged not to give out any details to callers, particularly bank account or debit/credit card details – even if the caller claims to be from your bank.

Craven District Council would not call residents to inform them of a council tax refund – they would write to residents if a refund was due.

Councillor Richard Foster, Leader of Craven District Council, said: “We were aware of this scam back in January and this particular nasty one appears to be doing the rounds again. We are aware that a small number of residents have fallen victim to this scam and the police have been informed.

“We want to make sure all residents are aware of these scams so that they can avoid being taken in by them. Please pass this message on to friends and family and let them know that if they receive a call like this, they should not give out any details and should hang up immediately.”

To report a scam, fraud or cyber crime, go to the Action Fraud website at www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or call North Yorkshire Police on 101.