Households in Gedling borough are being warned following reports that scammers are cold-calling people and claiming they have filled in their Census forms incorrectly and then ‘fining’ them.
The 2021 Census is a survey conducted every decade to count the number of people in England and Wales, along with other details.
It is a legal requirement to fill out the form by Sunday, March 21 and fines of up to £1,000 can be dished out to households for surveys that are not completed or if false information is given.
But now fraudsters are using the nationwide survey and potential fine for their own benefit and duping people into believing that they are being penalised for giving out incorrect information.
Last week, Action Fraud tweeted a warning: ‘Criminals may try to use this as an opportunity to send phishing emails or texts.’
One report said a cold caller claimed he was from a local authority and accused an individual of filling in a Census incorrectly and then told them that they had to pay a fine.
The caller then 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.
Action Fraud says members of the public will only be contacted about the Census via letter – never email, text or phone.
What can I do if I’m a victim of a scam?
- To report scams, contact Action Fraud, or if in Scotland, contact Police Scotland.
- To report email scams, contact the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) by emailing report@phishing.gov.uk
- For consumer advice, call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133
