CONMEN posing as council officials have targeted people in the Forest.

In separate scams, callers are claiming to be from the Forest of Dean District Council or Gloucestershire County Council.

In calls purporting to be from the county council, householders are asked about a recent ‘accident claim’ while others are being ‘offered’ the opportunity to reduce their Council Tax banding for a fee.

In the banding scam householders are asked for personal information including bank details.

Cllr Richard Boyles, (Con, Newnham and Westbury) the Forest Council’s Cabinet member for finance: “We urge residents to always be wary of phone calls of this nature. 

“This is a nationwide telephone council tax banding scam which is currently targeting our district.

“The council will never use a third party to contact a taxpayer in this way and we urge anybody receiving a call relating to reducing their council tax banding to end the call immediately and never give out personal details, especially bank details over the phone.

“If you have any doubt about a phone call relating to council tax or property bandings, call the council on 01594 810000 and ask to speak to a member of the council tax team.”

“If you wish to appeal against your council tax banding, you can do this yourself for free by contacting the District Valuation Office on 03000 501 501.”

The calls claiming to be from the county council also ask for NHS records.

Genuine council officials would never ‘cold call’ and any calls made by them are following up inquiries from service users.

Julie Houston, of Gloucestershire trading standards, said; “When you hang up the phone the line can remain open if the caller does not also hang up.

“You should wait at least five minutes before reporting a suspicious phone call to ensure you’re not reconnected to the scam caller.

“Alternatively, use a mobile phone or a neighbour’s phone or test your landline by phoning a friend or relative first, to ensure you aren’t still unwittingly connected to the fraudster.”

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive (Con, Newent) the county council’s Cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure, said; “If you receive a phone call like the ones reported, please just hang up.

“Gloucestershire County Council will never contact you about this sort of thing, so you know it’s a bogus call.

“We’re not sure about what fraudsters would do with any personal information they could get, so please don’t risk it. Our advice is not to disclose any personal information, hang up the phone and report it to us.”

If you have any concerns about bogus calls, contact Gloucestershire County Council on 01452 425000 to report it.

For more information or to report a telephone scam visit the Action Fraud website www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.