”We have discovered a number of customers who have been impacted by fraudulent direct debit claims on their rent accounts.
This is likely to be the result of a scam being circulated on social media which promotes an opportunity to recover money paid by direct debit ‘in error’ to other parties such as social housing (rent), local authority (council tax) etc.
Victims of this scam are asked to pass their bank details onto a ‘third party’ who makes the claim to the bank that the money was paid in error. The bank is asked by the third party to cancel any direct debits and to recover the money. The scammer will then either take a 50% cut of money or in some cases take all of it – plunging the victims’ rent account into arrears.
This kind of direct debit reclaim is illegal and despite being the victim of a scam, customers who partake could potentially face criminal prosecution as an accomplice to fraud.
Please also contact the Police Action Team hotline on 0300 123 2040 with details of any fraudulent claim that have taken place”
