Authorities in Norfolk, England, are warning residents about scam letters that falsely say council tax payment arrangements have changed.
Each letter contains a QR code that takes recipients to a bogus payment website, putting anyone who scans it at risk.
Here's what to know
Norfolk County Council says the letters are not genuine, even though they were made to resemble official notices about supposed changes to council tax payments, the Eastern Daily Press reported. The QR code on the letter leads to a scam website that tries to collect payments.
The warning comes after more reports that the letter is still circulating. Norfolk County Council does not collect council tax.
A Norfolk County Council spokesperson said, "This letter is a scam."
What can be done?
Anyone who receives the letter is advised to ignore it and to avoid scanning the QR code.
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A spokesperson for Norfolk County Council said, "Our advice is always to be wary of claims made in unexpected letter approaches, and if you, or anyone you know, receives this or a similar letter claiming to be from Norfolk County Council about council tax payments, please ignore it and do not scan the QR code."
Anyone affected by the scam is asked to report it to the Citizens Advice helpline on 0808-223-1133.
The council's spokesperson said, "Norfolk County Council has no involvement in collecting council tax payments across Norfolk."
Where can I learn more?
Like the Norfolk scam letters, these cases show how official-looking messages can pressure people into sending money or personal information.
• In California, PG&E customers lost cash to a barcode payment scam after shutoff threats.
• The FTC says letters claiming you're an heir to millions are again targeting consumers.
• In Kirkwood, Missouri, police warned that scammers direct victims to Bitcoin ATMs after urgent payment demands.
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