COUNCIL tax payers in the Dunstable area are being warned to be vigilant against fraud after a resident received a fake bill demanding money.
Central Bedfordshire Council this week urged people not to be taken in by chancers masquerading as council officials.
A 17-year-old – who is not even registered as a council tax payer – was sent a threatening letter demanding more than £350.
Councillor Maurice Jones, executive member for corporate resources at Central Beds Council, said: “This fake could quite easily fool someone.”
Cllr Jones added that a real council tax letter would not use the wording “agent visit” as used in the bogus bills, and that the logo used on the correspondence was “completely wrong”.
The hoax letters bear a bold font warning of an agent visit.
Cllr Jones said: “Nevertheless, it is worrying and I urge anyone who thinks they have received a bogus bill to contact the council’s revenues and benefits department.
“This is not a widespread problem as we’ve only had one report to date, but customers should be vigilant given we will be issuing our annual council tax bills in March.”
> To contact the council’s revenues and benefits team call Julie Luckman on 0300 3004154.
If you are concerned about scams in general,visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/bescamaware.
