Dover District Council is warning householders to beware of scam callers – this follows information that a small number of people in the area have received bogus calls about their Council Tax account.
The Council has been informed that a male is calling during the evening and stating that persons have a credit on their accounts and they are entitled to a refund. They are then asked to give their bank account details for the credit to be awarded, and told that if they fail to do so the money will be given to a charity.
DDC stresses that this is not the Council contacting customers, and this is certainly not how the Council conducts any refunds or credits to customers.
DDC has notified the Police and local Neighbourhood Watch schemes, and has informed KCC Trading Standards. For more information, or if you have any concerns, please contact DDC on (01304) 872199.
Having just received the above bulliten from DDC my initial thought was 'how can people be taken in so easily?' I am lucky enough to have a background in financial services so I should think that. But then what of other folk the technological reveolution has passed by ?
These people could well be our parents, neighbours, grandparents who grew up in a world where trust and honour meant something. They have not been taught to be suspicious of everyone and everything. I then thought of my twelve year old and wondered what street wise lessons I may pass onto her since it is unlikely to be a life skill learned in school, however valuable.
My conclusion is that those of us who read the above and wonder how people could be taken in, should have a duty of care to those who are still in the process of discovering that the world is not always such a nice place. The basic message here is give your bank details to no one. Make sure those you care for get it and spread a little human kindness.
