A sinister email scam claiming to be offering a council tax refund is targeting unsuspecting victims.
Cheshire West and Chester Council is urging the public to be on its guard.
A number of residents have reported the scam.
The messages claim to be offering a council tax rebate, which is received once the victim clicks on a link and enters their bank details into a form.
CWaC said they would never ask for important personal information in an email.
Cabinet member for legal and finance Cllr David Armstrong said: “Residents should be aware that these are not genuine emails relating to council tax or sent on behalf of CWaC.
“The council will never ask people to disclose personal information by responding to an email or text message.”
Other recent phishing scams have included fake emails from British Gas and opportunistic messages asking students to claim for an educational grant.
Anyone who receives a suspicious email can report it at www.gov.uk.
