Trading standards has issued a warning over a census from scam where fraudsters are trying to trick members of the public into giving out personal information by pretending to be from Hampshire County Council.
They issued the warning after receiving reports from victims who claim to have been contacted by someone purporting to be from the authority and acting on behalf of the Office of National Statistics.
The caller suggested that the individual’s Census form was completed incorrectly and they had a fine to pay. The caller asked for basic identification details which they said was to confirm the Census record and the individual’s bank details so they could process the fine.
The Office of National Statistics are aware of similar scams in other parts of the country where money has been taken from an individual’s bank account. The Office of National Statistics have warned that they would never ask for this type of personal information and advised that Hampshire County Council is not acting as an agent for them.
Always check a cold caller’s identity with the genuine organisation before talking with them.
Read more about the fraud on the Hampshire County Council Trading Standards website.
Please note: Action Fraud is not responsible for the content on external websites.
To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.
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