WEST Devon Borough Council is warning local tax payers to be on their guard against fraudsters.
Last week a family in Tavistock was telephoned by a man calling himself Michael Bridgewater who claimed he represented Viking Services, a company not in fact listed with directory enquiries anywhere in the UK.
He quizzed the family about their recent council tax payments and they assumed Viking Services was a firm of debt-collectors employed by the council to collect outstanding council tax.
Luckily the family pay their rates in instalments twice a year and had their receipts to hand.
Other householders, perhaps less organised might be duped by such a ploy into sending off money.
West Devon Borough Council said it had not heard of any other incidents involving the so-called Viking Services.
'We would warn people that we never ask for money over the phone,' said spokeswoman Alison Stoneham.
'We do have bailiffs who collect money on our behalf, but they have proper authorisation and would never do their work by phone — they would be on the doorstep.
'If anybody does have any cause for concern, we would advise them to contact the police,'