Highland residents are being warned to watch out for fraudulent emails offering Council Tax refunds after reports emerged of scammers attempting to obtain personal and banking information.
The Highland Council issued the warning on Thursday 22 October after receiving reports from customers who had been sent suspicious messages containing links to claim money supposedly owed to them.
The emails appear to come from an organisation calling itself the “Council Revenue Authority”, but the council has confirmed that the messages are fraudulent and have no connection to its services.
Recipients are being urged not to follow any links, open attachments or provide personal information in response to the messages.
The scam attempts to exploit the prospect of receiving an unexpected refund, encouraging people to act before questioning whether the communication is genuine.
Trading Standards officers say this approach is commonly used by criminals seeking to obtain sensitive information that could subsequently be used to commit financial fraud.
Mark McGinty, Highland Council’s Trading Standards Team Leader, said:
“Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency by claiming that people are due a refund.
“Their aim is to persuade recipients to disclose personal information or banking details which can then be used to commit fraud.
“If you receive an email claiming you are entitled to a Council Tax refund, do not click on any links, open attachments or provide any personal information until you have verified that the communication is genuine.
“If in doubt, contact the Council directly to verify this.”
The warning is particularly important because Council Tax is a regular household expense, making an apparent message about a refund something that many residents might understandably want to investigate.
However, the council has made clear that it will not request sensitive personal details or banking information through email.
Anyone receiving an unexpected message about their Council Tax account should verify its authenticity by contacting Highland Council through its official website or established telephone contact details.
Residents should not use telephone numbers or links contained within a suspicious email, as these could direct them back to the people responsible for the scam.
The council is also encouraging people to share the warning with friends, relatives and neighbours who may be more vulnerable to fraudulent approaches.
For older residents or people less familiar with online scams, a convincing message appearing to come from a public authority can be particularly difficult to recognise as fraudulent.
Scammers frequently imitate legitimate organisations, using official sounding names and references to payments or refunds to make their communications appear trustworthy.
In this case, the supposed Council Tax refund is simply being used as a means of encouraging recipients to disclose information.
Highland Council’s advice is to treat unexpected refund messages with caution and independently verify any communication before taking action.
Anyone who is uncertain about an email claiming to come from the council should contact the authority directly rather than responding to the message.
A few moments spent checking could prevent personal information or money from falling into the wrong hands.
Highland Council’s Operations Team, which deals with Council Tax matters, can be contacted by email at Operations.Team@highland.gov.uk or by telephone on 0800 393 811.
Highland Council Trading Standards also works in partnership with Advice Direct Scotland (ADS).
Residents who require advice can contact ADS, which offers free and confidential consumer advice, by calling 0808 164 6000 or via the Consumer Advice Scotland website.
