A rise in bogus 'National Insurance' telephone calls in Bedfordshire prompts warning

A rise in the numbers of suspicious telephone calls has prompted a fresh warning from Central Bedfordshire Council.

The latest scam is when the caller claims your National Insurance number has been compromised or used to commit fraud.

The advice is - hang up immediately.

Some residents have reported these calls as starting with a recorded message, instructing them to press a number on their keypad to speak to a case officer - whilst other residents have been contacted by a caller using a mobile phone number.

These types of calls may make claims to try and alarm you, such as, the risk of being arrested or threat of legal action.

The callers may be attempting to harvest your personal details and bank account information or even seek an immediate card payment from you.

A spokesman for Central Bedfordshire Council said: "Do not feel intimidated or threatened by these types of calls and any of the claims being made. If you have any concerns about possible legal action, contact the organisation directly to check whether the call is genuine."

"Please help prevent others from falling victim to this type of scam by letting your family, friends and neighbours know about this alert."