Council Tax scam

[Squaredancer]

Just heard today about a scam that seems to be happening quite frequently – the more people that are aware of it, the better:

Someone claiming to be from the local Council phones and tells you that you’ve overpaid your Council Tax and are entitled to a refund. They ask for your bank details so that they can put the money back in your bank.

Don’t be taken in!

If you are in credit the Council won't phone you. They will send you an Adjustment Notice and a form for you to sign to request the refund, which comes by cheque. They will not ask for your bank account details.

If you put “Overpaid Council Tax” “bank details” into Google you will find a number of results detailing this scam.

[Chris Doran]

I've had a number of similar ones. Always someone wants to send/pay you something but need your credit card details, if only "to verify your address". They've usually asked for your DoB earlier in the conversation.

A two-part variant is where someone 'phones to ask if you're happy with the service you're getting from XYZ. Having thus established you're an XYZ customer, they call back a week later claiming to be from XYZ. I've just had the first of these calls from "SKY TV" (Google SKY TV scam). I'm debating whether to volunteer to let the constabulary put a trace on my 'phone line.

[SBSFamilyhistory]

Hi if I got a call saying I'd overpaid council tax, I would say I pay by direct debit so you already have my bank details so just use those to repay any money.

Sue

[Ladkyis]

I am usually very polite and tell them that I do not give such details on the phone if they care to call, they already know my address, I will talk to them face to face.

My bank once rang me to discuss my finances - they said they were my bank - they asked me to give them my account number "for security reasons". I said
"If I want to discuss my account I will come to my branch, I do not talk to strangers on the phone about bank accounts, thank you for calling, goodbye"

I then went into the bank and asked that something be put on my account to say that they must not ring me.