Oxford City Council is warning residents about multiple scams trying to con them out of money.

Oxford folk are being targeted by fraudulent phone calls demanding immediate payment of fabricated rent or council tax arrears.

A number of people are receiving unexpected calls from unverified sources claiming to be from Oxford City Council.

Posing as council representatives, these scam artists assert that the residents' accounts are significantly overdue and must be settled instantly to avoid eviction or court proceedings.

The council does occasionally call for information regarding residents' rent or council tax accounts.

However, staff will always clearly identify themselves and their specific team, the city council has said.

Residents can always request to return the council's call via official council phone number 01865 2489811 to verify their authenticity.

The council advises residents to end suspicious calls and delete scamming emails or text messages without interacting with any links.

The council says under no circumstances should personal data like bank details be provided to individuals suspected of fraud.

The council has encouraged people to "be cautious when giving personal details online", highlighting that scammers often create fake websites to harvest victims' valuable data.

It emphasised that sensitive information should only be shared with trusted individuals or organisations.

Residents can find additional information on council tax and other common scams on the GOV.UK website.