Stay alert to scams
Scammers often try to obtain personal or financial information by impersonating legitimate organisations and creating a sense of urgency, importance or financial gain.
These messages can look convincing, but there are some simple checks you can make before responding.
How to spot a scam
- Be cautious of unexpected emails, texts or phone calls asking for personal or financial information, particularly if you weren't expecting to hear from the organisation.
- Check the sender's email address carefully. Scammers may use addresses that look very similar to those used by genuine organisations.
- Don't click links or download attachments if you're unsure whether a message is genuine.
- Be wary of messages that pressure you to act quickly or threaten consequences if you don't respond.
- If you're unsure, contact the organisation independently using details from its official website rather than replying to the message or using the contact details it provides.
Council communications
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council may contact you to request information in connection with a service you receive from us.
If we ask you to provide personal or financial information and you're unsure whether the request is genuine, don't use the contact details or links provided in the message. Instead, check our trusted websites and email domains or contact the Council independently using the contact details published on our website.
What to do if you receive a suspicious message
If you receive a suspicious email, text message or other communication:
- Do not click any links.
- Do not open attachments.
- Do not provide personal or financial information.
- Report the message as spam or phishing where possible.
- Delete the message once you have reported it.
If you're unsure whether a communication claiming to come from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is genuine, contact us independently using the details on our Find and contact us page.
Taking a few moments to stop and check before responding can help protect you and others from fraud.
