FRAUDSTERS are blitzing Romsey in a bid to get residents personal details and cash.

Tricksters are trying to dupe residents into giving details by using Romsey Town Council’s name when they contact people by phone. Romsey Town Council has been inundated with calls from the public about the scam. Even Romsey’s mayor Mrs Dorothy Baverstock and other councillors were contacted by people claiming to be from the authority. Police have now issued a warning to residents about several scams operating in town.

Speaking about her experience Mrs Baverstock said: “In my conversation with the police I was told topeople should realise you don’t get anything for free anddon’t never give out bank details on the phone.”

Mrs Baverstock advised people who receive the calls which claim to be from Romsey Town Council phoning on behalf of the NHS offering compensation for accident injuries to put the phone down on them immediately.

Mrs Baverstock said she even received an email the other week claiming to have come from the Inland Revenue asking for her tax details.

“It said I was due a tax rebate and I reported the email to HM tax office,” concluded Mrs Baverstock.

Fellow town councillor John Parker has also been on the scammers list.

Warning people to be alert, Mr Parker said he had several calls including one from a foreigner asking about an alleged accident he had.

“The call was the usual pattern, obviously from a call centre judging by the background noise and from an operator who was not a native English speaker. The number was probably spoofed but showed up as 02088 997766 which is a well known scam phone number,” said Mr Parker, adding: “What marked this call out as a bit different was that he was claiming to call from Romsey Town Council.

“Just a bit of a mistake there, calling a Romsey Town Councillor. I was rather taken aback but managed to advise him that I was a Town Councillor, that we don’t have a call centre and that we don’t handle accident claims. I told him he was obviously a scammer and that I would report him to the police. That seemed to shut him up.”

Romsey resident Graham Bevan had two calls from a scammer - one at work and another at his home.

“An Indian gentleman called me on Wednesday claiming to be from Romsey Town Council. He said, he got my number via the NHS and told me that someone had an injury and up to £4,000 in compensation was available. A week ago a person at work had a constant headache and an ambulance was called. I wondered whether this person he picked up on a 999 call. It’s a nasty scam and any scam that can be stopped is good,” said Mr Bevan.

Other scams on the go include one claiming residents homes are in the wrong council tax bands and they are due a rebate. The tricksters then try to get hold of their bank details.

A police spokesperson said: “A number of local residents are reporting that they have received accident/insurance scam calls from persons claiming to be from Romsey Town Council. Never accept offers over the phone, if they sound too good to be true, they usually are. Never give personal details over the phone and report any suspicious phone calls to your phone company and never give your credit or bank card PIN number out over the phone. This information is never requested legitimately by your bank or the police. If you think something is wrong, hang up the phone.