Sedgemoor District Council has this week warned Burnham-On-Sea residents to check that phone callers requesting bank details are actually from the council.
The authority has had several calls from worried residents in recent days who have received phone calls from people purporting to be working with the District Council.
“The tricksters tell customers that they are due a reduction in their Council Tax Band and ask them for their bank details for a refund to be made,” district council spokeswoman Claire Faun told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“Other councils have reported someone phoning claiming to be from a government department and was offering a years’ council tax refund as a reward for prompt payment over the past number of years.”
“The resident was suspicious, and when the caller was asked to identify herself and the department she represented the caller hung up.”
This type of scam is similar to a number of bogus telephone calls occurring in growing numbers across the country, the nature of which is to deceive the recipient into revealing personal bank details by promising a tax refund.
Any residents who have recently received a phone call and been asked for their bank details should phone the Council to check the validity.
Mrs Faun added: “If, at any time, a customer has any doubt about the identity of a person telephoning and claiming to work for Sedgemoor they should request a name and extension number and ring 0845 4082540 (Sedgemoor Direct) to confirm the caller’s identity before giving any personal bank details.”
