Northumberland residents are being warned to be on their guard following another spate of  Council Tax scams in the county.  
 

The County Council’s fraud team has been made aware of an email that is circulating claiming that the resident has fallen into council tax arrears. It asks the recipient to click on a link to check their payment status. Under no circumstances should you click on it as doing so could give the criminals access to your computer, or it may go on to ask for personal banking details to try and access your money. 
 

Northumberland County Councillor Gordon Stewart, Cabinet Member for Public Safety said: “The letter is polite and understanding in tone so it doesn’t feel like a scam – but it is and I can see how some residents could be easily taken in by it. “ 
 

“Remember your bank, this council or any other official source, will never ask you to supply personal information such as passwords, PIN numbers or personal information and bank account details. “ 
 

The letter reads: “Our records show an unpaid balance on your council tax account. This could be due to various reasons including bank processing times or missed payment deadlines. 
 

‘We understand that payments can sometimes be delayed through no fault of your own. However, we must request that you verify your payment status to ensure proper account maintenance. Please take a moment to check. ‘ 
 

It then asks the reader to Proceed to Account Review by clicking on a link.  
 

The letter concludes: ‘Timely resolution of this matter will help avoid any potential recovery actions. We appreciate your prompt attention to this notification.’ 
 

Councillor Stewart added: “It is unfortunately a sad world where we have to be suspicious and on our guard all the time. Remember scams come in all forms. Use your gut instinct. If something doesn’t feel right, it is most probably a scam.  
 

“Please spread the word, especially to elderly and vulnerable family and friends and let's keep one step ahead of these criminals.”