RESIDENTS are being warned to to be on their guard following a spate of council tax telephone scams in the county.

The Trading Standards team at Northumberland County Council has received a number of complaints about telephone calls and text messages where the caller claims that the resident can have their council tax band reassessed upon payment of £150. They claim to be acting on behalf of the county council but in reality they are not.

Coun. John Riddle, the council’s cabinet member for planning, housing and resilience said: “It’s sad that there are people out there who devote so much time and effort to ripping off other people. It does mean that everyone has to be careful.

“The council would never contact a resident in this manner to issue a refund and we certainly wouldn’t charge £150 to provide advice on an issue like this.

Philip Soderquest, head of housing and public protection, added: “Unfortunately scammers can be very persuasive and can con people into believing that they are legitimate, so always remember to be on your guard. Take time to think before passing on your details to a third party.”

Anyone who receives one of these calls or text messages, or would like advice, can contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service on (0345) 4040506. It can also be reported to Action Fraud on (0300) 1232040.