Impersonating Calderdale Council
Scammers may target residents by pretending to offer financial assistance or council services.
- Council Officers will always provide their name and department when they call.
- We may send texts/emails to let you know about benefits or services. These may direct you to forms on our website, but we will never directly ask for:
- bank details;
- passwords;
- or other sensitive information.
- If you have doubts or want to check if a person is Council Staff, please phone Customer First: (01422) 288001.
- We will never ask for personal information via social media.
- Concerns about fraud against the council can be reported to the fraud hotline: 01422 393514.
Council Tax text scam
Council Tax payers across Calderdale are warned to be on the alert for bogus text messages.
The texts say you are entitled to a Council Tax refund. You are then asked to go to counciltax1.com/gov/.
This is a scam! It is just to get your personal details. These are not genuine and residents must not give out personal details, especially bank details, to unknown sources.
Energy rebate scam
For more about this, please visit: Don't be fooled by new scams, councils say (Local Government Association).
Penalty Charge Notice - SMS scam warning
We are aware of a text scam that requests payment for a PCN.
Please be aware that this is a scam. We will never request payment for a PCN via SMS message or similar.
Scammers are always finding new ways to trick people out of their money or personal information.
In the UK, scammers stole £11.4 billion over a recent 12-month period and it can happen to anyone.
By making people aware, we can help prevent others from being a victim.
What a scam is
It is a dishonest scheme to deceive you and they tend to be for financial gain.
Scammers may:
- Pretend to be from trusted organisations.
- Offer fake prizes or deals.
- Create a sense of urgency to pressure you into making quick decisions.
What you can do
Check the source
Contact the company using their official contact details only.
Learn more online
For online safety advice and free skills training, visit: Learn My Way.
Educate and support friends and family
Help people to be aware of scams. Support those who may be more vulnerable and/or elderly people.
- Visit: Scams and Fraud (Age UK Calderdale).
Seek advice
Contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service:
- for guidance;
- and to report concerns to trading standards.
Report scams
- Visit: Action Fraud.
- Phone: 0300 123 2040.
How to spot a scam
- It can be unsolicited contact that asks you for money or personal information.
- You may pressured to act quickly or keep their communications secret.
- It could be a request for payment via gift cards, bank transfers or cryptocurrency.
- They often have poor spelling, grammar or links that look suspicious.
- You may be offered something that seems too good to be true.
Common types of scam
Phishing
You will get fake emails and/or texts that ask you to click a link or provide personal details.
These will appear to be from banks, delivery companies or government agencies, such as HMRC.
Phone
These calls claim that you:
- are due a mobile upgrade:
- owe money;
- have won a prize;
- or need to act 'now' to avoid legal trouble.
For more about these scams, please visit:
- New warning as customers targeted in mobile phone scam (Action Fraud).
Online shopping
These are fake websites or social media ads to sell products that never arrive or are counterfeit.
For more about this, please visit: Online shopping fraud (Action fraud).
Romance
A scammer will build a fake relationship online to gain a person's trust and at some point ask for money.
For more about this, please visit: Romance fraud (Action Fraud).
Investment and Cryptocurrency
The promises of high returns with little risk that will often appear to be too good to be true.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has more information about this, visit: