Businesses warned of coronavirus grants scam

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Monday, 23 November 2020 16:07

Businesses are being warned of a potential large-scale fraud in relation to coronavirus business grants.

Shropshire Council is today warning residents and ratepayers after being alerted to a number of potential scams that have been received.

The scams are using the pretext of the coronavirus business support grant scheme and have arrived over e-mail.

A number of residents have been targeted by the e-mails which appear to have been sent by the Government and are informing people they could be in line for thousands of pounds.

Now Shropshire Council is warning residents and business owners that the authority will not contact them directly and ask for bank details in an unsolicited way.

Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for communities, place planning and regulatory services, said: “We have been notified by separate members about potential scams that have been received by residents or ratepayers.

“A number of people have received e-mails claiming to be from the government telling them that they have been approved for thousands of pounds of support grant funding.

“The e-mails then urge the victim to click a link to claim the money and ask for bank card and account details.

“These e-mails are not legitimate and an attempt to defraud the recipient.

“Please do not click on the links or reply to the e-mails and never offer your bank account or card details.

“We will only contact you for bank details in respect of an open application and we will always quote your unique application reference in any communication.

“The only way to access the grant schemes is to complete the application form which is on the council’s website.”