Dorset Council has been notified of fraudulent emails being circulated. Don’t put yourself at risk.
Residents are being warned to be on their guard for suspicious emails that aim to capture their personal details. Anyone who receives an email about a council tax refund which asks them to click a link and complete an online form should ignore it or delete it.
The email that has been recently flagged has gov.uk branding and gives you a short deadline to ‘claim your money’. By clicking the link in the email, it leads you to a web page where you are asked to input your banking information. Do not enter your information and put yourself at risk.
Top tips on how to protect yourself
- Don’t open attachments or click on the links within any unsolicited emails you receive
- Never respond to emails that ask for your personal or financial details.
- The web address may appear trustworthy, but remember you can hover over a link to see where it will really take you.
- An email address can appear legitimate, so even if the email appears to be from a person or a company you know of, if the message is unexpected or unusual then contact the sender directly via another method to confirm that they sent you the email.
- If you receive an email which asks you to login to an online account, for example due to suspicious activity on your account, instead of clicking on the link provided in the email, go directly to the website yourself.
The email mentioned has been reported, however we urge you to remain vigilant and be careful about who you share your personal information with.
If you have any concerns or feel you may have been affected visit actionfraud.police.uk
