BOURNEMOUTH residents are being urged to stay vigilant following reports of a council tax scam.

Bournemouth Borough Council says a number of residents have been being contacted by fraudsters pretending to be council employees.

Residents are being urged to never give out their bank details over the phone and report any suspicious calls to the police.

A council spokesman said: “Residents have contacted the council to say they received a call from someone claiming to be from Bournemouth council saying that they were due a large council tax refund and asking for their bank account details to refund the money or there is outstanding council tax owing.

“The council would like to make it clear that refunds are made by a cheque payment. We do not hold someone’s bank details to allow a refund directly to the person’s bank account.”

There have been additional reports of residents being contacted via telephone and asked for immediate payment to cover outstanding council tax arrears.

The council spokesman said: “Please remember, if you owe any outstanding council tax, before anyone from council tax telephones you, a reminder notice or final warning notice from the council tax department detailing the amount outstanding and methods of how to pay would have already been sent to you.”

Anyone who receives a suspicious call should contact Dorset Police on 101.