The conmen who target council tax: Fraudsters are charging £350 admin fees over rebates that do not exist
- Scammers tell residents they are in the wrong tax bracket
- Victims are asked to pay an administration fee to get their money back
- When they receive the victim's money, the conmen disappear
Homeowners are being warned to watch out for a new scam where fraudsters promise a council tax rebate that does not exist.
Scammers are calling householders to tell them they are in the wrong council tax bracket and are entitled to thousands of pounds back, according to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.
Victims are told they must pay an administration fee, which can be up to £350, to get their money back.
Fictional rebate: Scammers are targeting elderly householders in the South East to tell them they are in the wrong council tax bracket and are entitled to thousands of pounds in refunds
Once the money has been transferred, the fraudsters are never heard from again.
When victims have contacted their local council, they have been told it is unaware of any rebates and that they’ve been conned.
So far, reports of the fraud have come from elderly homeowners in the South-East, but Action Fraud is warning that the trick is likely to spread.
Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud, says: ‘These criminals will make several calls and will be convincing and provide good reason for why the person should make an immediate payment.
'We urge people to be vigilant and never respond to these callers.’
Action Fraud advises that councils will never call you out of the blue to discuss a council tax rebate, and that a legitimate firm would not ask you to pay an advance fee to receive money that is yours.
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