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Beware of online Council Tax refund scam

Council News
09:35, Tuesday, 26th November 2019

North Lincolnshire Council is asking residents to be wary of the latest Council Tax scam. Fraudsters are targeting Council Tax payers across the country with an email message that invites them to apply for a Council Tax refund.

This follows a similar scam earlier this year that targeted people via text message.

The email looks like it is from a Council Tax email address and links people to a website that looks like the Government website, gov.uk. Users are asked to enter personal details such as full name, date of birth, postcode and mother’s maiden name into the fake website.

North Lincolnshire Council will never contact you to invite you to apply for a Council Tax refund. If you are in doubt, contact us directly on 0300 303 0164 (option 5), or e-mail counciltax@northlincs.gov.uk.

Tips on how to keep your personal information safe:

  • Never reply to an unsolicited text or email message.
  • Never click on a link in a message unless you are absolutely sure where the link is taking you.
  • Always use a link to a website you know to be correct, or use a search engine to find the correct website.
  • Carefully read the message you have been sent. If the spelling or grammar isn’t correct, it is probably not genuine.
  • Always check the message or webpage for accuracy. The information contained on the website in this case is clearly inaccurate as it is taken from a legitimate webpage relating to Income Tax refunds.
  • Never provide your personal details to an unknown third party, in person, over the phone, or online.