Council tax rebate scam warning as fraudsters target £150 scheme
Councils are urging people to be alert if they receive suspicious messages or calls
Scammers are asking for bank details in return for access to the £150 government-funded energy bill rebate, councils have warned.
Cold-callers have reportedly been targeting the government support scheme, which was announced earlier this year to help households with soaring bills.
The Local Government Association (LGA) is urging people to be alert if they receive an unexpected text, email or phone call seeking information or payment.
The LGA warned against sharing personal information, including bank details, clicking any links or responding unless the message could be proved genuine.
It said councils would never ask for that information over the phone.
Council tax rebate
The government has announced that anyone who pays council tax in bands A-D will get a £150 rebate on their council tax bill.
It comes as households across the UK are hit by a 54% increase in the energy price cap as well as a National Insurance hike and the highest rate of inflation in thirty years.
READ: Massive energy bill increase adds more pressure to household budgets
Eligible households in Scotland will receive the money either directly from local authorities or as credit towards council tax bills.
Increase in scams during pandemic
There has been a sharp increase in scams during the pandemic, including messages requesting payment to to book a vaccine appointment.
You can report phishing attempts to Action Fraud or forward suspicious messages to cyber security service 7726 for free.
If you have been hacked or lost money due to a scam call, you should report it to Police Scotland on 101.