Council Tax reduction scam email

Council Tax reduction scam email

Cheshire West and Chester Council has been made aware of a new phishing email claiming to be a Council Tax reduction payment from GOV.UK.

There has been an increase in the number of scam emails and calls being made. Please be extra careful and check anything that looks suspicious.

In this instance, Council Tax correspondence would be from the local authority and not central government.

Any personal correspondence would be addressed correctly to the Council Tax payer and you wouldn't expect to receive an email unless an application had already been made.

• You can apply for Council Tax reduction whether you are working or unemployed.
• How much you may receive will depend on your income and circumstances.
• Details about the Council Tax reduction scheme can be found on the Council website:

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/council-tax/about-council-tax-reduction/claiming-council-tax-reduction.aspx

The scam email says:
You have a new message from GOV.UK about your Council Tax
Hi @hotmail.co.uk,

Working out your Council Tax
You`ll need to know 3 things:

the valuation band for your home in England and Wales or in Scotland

how much your local council charges for that band

whether you can get a discount or exemption from the full bill

You are getting a Council Tax Reduction (this used to be called Council Tax Benefit) considering you`re on a low income or get benefits.

The refund amount will be transferred directly on your Debit/Credit Card.

Apply now to claim the reductions made over your past 2 years of Council tax payments.

The information in this electronic e.Mail message is private and confidential, and only intended for the addressee.
Thanks

The Government Digital Service Team
Advice on preventing yourself being scammed: