Oxford City Council is warning Oxford residents against council tax scams aimed at getting their personal bank details and conning them out of their money.
Scammers are contacting people by phone, text and email and posing as staff from the council, the Valuation Office Agency or the Tax Recovery Bureau in order to defraud them.
Current scams include telling people they have paid too much council tax and are due a refund, which fraudsters offer to claim on their behalf for a fee. The council will never ask for payment to make a council tax refund.
Another scam involves telling people their home is in the wrong council tax band and offering a refund in return for a fee – council tax band reassessments are free. A third scam demands payment for supposed council tax arrears.
The council does ask for information from residents to administer their council tax accounts, including refunds or arranging arrears collection. Residents who want to verify genuine contact from the council should call 01865 249811 or email counciltax@oxford.gov.uk – all council email addresses end with @oxford.gov.uk.
More information about scams can be found on the GOV.UK website.
Contact the Council Tax Team
Please include your council tax account reference number when contacting us by letter or email. If you do not have an account reference number, please include your full address
Address: Oxford City CouncilPO Box 10
Oxford
OX1 1EN
