Pendle News Room

“Councils across the country are reporting scams about council tax refunds,” warned Pendle Council’s leader, Councillor Mohammed Iqbal.

“People are being emailed and told they are due a council tax refund and to provide their bank details.

“This is bogus and criminal and on no account should anyone provide their bank details or any other personal details,” he stressed.

The emails look very professional and give a specified amount of money people will have refunded direct into their bank accounts if they confirm their bank details by clicking the word FORM in capitals or the advert at the bottom.

“People should not click on this as it sends them to a webpage which will put them at risk of having their bank details stolen,” stressed Councillor Iqbal.

“Pendle Council would never ring or email people asking for confirmation of bank details,” he added.

Pendle Council’s advice is:

• If you receive an email about a Council Tax refund do not open the link in the email

• Ignore the email and delete it

• If anyone rings you about Council Tax refunds hang up and ignore the request

• Contact Pendle Council on 01282 661818 and email council.tax@pendle.gov.uk  to let us know if you get one of
   these bogus calls or emails.

Other councils which have reported the problem with the scam include  Oldham, Stroud, Tewkesbury and Hertsmere.