Eden District Council is warning residents to stay vigilant after a spate of Council Tax refund hoax calls in the area.

There have been reports of customers being contacted by telephone from a withheld number.

The fraudulent caller explains a Council Tax refund is available and then attempts to get the recipient’s date of birth and bank details.

There have also been reports of scammers working in pairs, where a second fraudulent caller will ring after the first call, suggesting that the call recipient has just been speaking to “a colleague”, in an attempt to appear genuine.

Callers in the reported incidents have been male but always be aware that this might not always be the case.

If you receive a call from the Council that you think could be malicious, simply hang up without giving any details and telephone the Council back on 01768 817817 to check.

If customers are due a Council Tax refund and have previously paid by Direct Debit, the Council will already have their bank details and will process a refund automatically.

For customers who don’t pay by direct debit, the Council does not ask for bank details over the phone.

Instead, the Council sends a credit bill which invites them to provide their bank details this way.