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Bogus callers warning – Carmarthenshire area

A person in Carmarthenshire has been conned into giving out their bank details by a bogus caller. The case is one of a number now being reported where callers have asked people for their bank details on the pretext that they have overpaid their council tax, and are due for a refund.

Carmarthenshire’s public protection and finance departments are now warning people not to give out any personal details.

Head of Public Protection Philip Davies said: “If anyone receives one of these calls, or receives a visit at their home from anyone claiming to be giving council tax rebates, do not give out any details, and report the incident to Carmarthenshire Country Council or to the police.”

A spate of bogus calls has occurred in recent weeks in other parts of Wales and are now increasing in Carmarthenshire.

The bogus caller states that he or she is from the council and that the person has overpaid council tax which needs to be refunded.

They then ask for the person’s bank details which they say is needed to make the repayment.

Mr Davies added: “At least one person we know of has already given their details without first checking with us whether or not the caller was genuine.

“Others have thankfully reported them to us without giving out their bank details. “We are urging everyone to be cautious so that they don’t get conned by this scam.”

Tax Scam

TAXPAYERS in Carmarthenshire are being warned about a scam that could see their bank accounts cleared of money. Fraudsters are sending out letters claiming to be from HM Revenue and Customs urging taxpayers to contact them to claim tax refunds.

The letter, with an official heading, says that the Tax File Number is valid for only 24 hours for security reasons and emphasises the need for confidentiality.

Carmarthenshire County Council head of public protection Philip Davies said: “The email, link and form looks quite authentic and people will provide personal information if they think they can get a refund from HMRC.

“If you look closely at the string when you use the link you'll see that there is a '.com' site being used. It would not appear on an authentic HMRC website. This is where the personal information ends up and personal details are sold on or a bank account suddenly empties.”

Want to know more about applying for Council Tax or Housing Benefit?

Are you entitled to some financial help with your Council Tax or do you want help with completing Housing Benefit claim forms?

Age concern Sir Gâr and Carmarthenshire County Council, Housing Benefits Department have taken the initiative and joined forces to provide such a service.

A visiting officer from the Housing Benefits department of the local authority will be available at our offices on the first Friday in every month for the next 6 months between the hours of 9.30am and 12.30pm. Home visits if necessary can also be arranged and are flexible.

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Care Home Checklist

Choosing a care home is an important decision. Finding out as much as you can about a home will help you to make an informed choice. This guide suggests what to ask. If you are not happy with something, ask the home for an explanation.

For more information go to www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/info-care-homechecklist.asp or contact our office for a copy of the checklist.

The Zimmers

The Zimmers are a band with a difference - all 40 of the members are aged over 60 and have a combined age of over 3000! The Zimmers are raising awareness through celebrating their age, and highlighting that for many older people, later life is a time for exploration and adventure. However, for millions of other older people life is an isolating and lonely experience.

The Zimmers are generously donating 50% of profits from the sale of their cover of The Who's hit "My Generation" to Age Concern, to find out more about them and to show your support please visit www.myspace.com/thezimmersband.

Benefits

Age Concern is calling on people across the UK to urge their older friends and family to claim their benefits as this could dramatically improve their quality of life and lift many out of poverty. The call comes as new research for the charity reveals that more than a third (35%) of people are worried that an older friend or relative is missing out on vital money benefits.

In a bid to reverse the growing amount of benefits cash left unclaimed by older people each year – now up to £42 billion, Age Concern is launching a major new campaign to encourage older people to claim the money that is rightfully theirs. The charity has set an amibitious target for the year-long ‘Your Rights’ Campaign, pledging to put an extra £100 million into the pockets of pensioners before April 2008. For more information on this campaign see link to Age Concern England. Alternatively if you want information on benefits or advice contact the office. We currently have a volunteer benefits adviser in the office once a week, appointments are necessary.

Age Concern Sir Gâr now has a benefits adviser in the Llanelli office on Wednesdays. Please ring the office for details.

Leisure pursuits

Free swimming for 60+s in Wales
Nordic Walking
Winter workouts
Healthy eating

For more information please visit Age Concern Cymru website

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For more news see www.ageconcernengland.org.uk and www.accymru.org.uk