Bogus callers

Richmond Council would like to urge residents to be on their guard against bogus callers which may include bogus officials offering to give Council Tax refunds.

A small number of residents have received telephone calls informing them they qualified for a Council Tax refund. The caller then asked for bank account details to enable the payment to be processed.

Similar types of attempted fraud have been reported involving other public bodies and private sector firms, in the form of e-mails. Occasionally the caller requests a fee for the service.

Our advice is to always keep your bank and credit card details safe and never give out your PIN number. If you are entitled to a Council Tax refund, the Council will send you a letter showing how much you are owed and offering the option of either deducting the amount from your next Council Tax bill or providing a refund.

If you are unsure if a caller is genuine, ask them for their name, job title and extension number and call them back through the Council switchboard on 08456 122 660.

Anyone who believes they may have been contacted by a bogus caller should call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

You can also visit our doorstep safety page for more information on bogus callers, doorstep sellers and other scams.