ANOTHER phone scam: This time it's bogus officials offering Council Tax refunds or threatening with fines. suggest that the resident is due a council tax refund, or owes more tax and must pay it promptly to avoid a fine. Click here for full details.

There have been many incidents reported of this scam across the country including three reported recently in this borough.

Fraudsters operate by ringing or texting residents and claiming to be from the local council, valuation office or some other company which deals with changes to Council Tax banding. They suggest that the resident is either due a council tax refund, or owes more council tax and must pay it promptly to avoid a fine. They will then ask for personal and bank details to allow them to process the refund or payment.

Note that Fareham Borough Council will never cold call, text or email residents in this way requesting bank details. If refunds are due or there is any change to your bill then you will receive a statement through the post explaining the situation.

If you receive one of these calls, do not give out any personal information and end the call as quickly as possible. The fraudsters can get aggressive and ring back if you put the phone down but this is all part of the scam to make you act as they want.

If you are in any doubt as to the authenticity of a call concerning your council tax account please contact the Local Taxation Team office on Tel: 01329 824651 or e-mail counciltax@fareham.gov.uk. Any genuine direct phone number given out by a Council Tax officer will be in the format "01329 824XXX".

Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Seán Woodward, said: "We are warning the residents of Fareham to be cautious to whom they release their personal details, and to be aware that there are bogus calls being made within our borough trying to claim that they are from the council. Residents that receive any calls like this should contact the Taxation Team straight away for peace of mind."

To report a suspected incident of the scam, residents can contact Hampshire County Council Trading Standards by ringing Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.