An email (attached) has recently been sent to a Halton resident from a scammer providing the opportunity of a refund on their council tax. The text in the red boxes identifies the tell-tale signs that it is a scam.
If you are unsure if the content of an email is official or not then contact the organisation directly to check if they have sent it – always use a telephone number or email address that you can verify belongs to the organisation, never use one provided in the email no matter how legitimate it looks.
If you receive this email, or other similar suspicious emails, delete them without opening them (if preview is available) or clicking on any links.
Halton Borough Council Executive Board Member for Trading Standards, Cllr Dave Cargill, said: “Always remember ‘if in doubt check it out’, a simple google search goes a long way to identifying if it is a scam or not.”
For further information and advice about using the internet why not take a look at www.getsafeonline.org, it’s packed with useful information and tips for surfing safely and using communications online.
If you or somebody you know has been caught out by a scam or fraud please contact one of our specialist officers, Linda or Sue on 0151 511 8785 or 0151 511 8775, who are already working with people in Halton who have lost thousands of pounds to scams.