Trading Standards have advised people to remain vigilant after they were notified of a scam operating in the Great Barr area. People are receiving calls/visits from someone pretending to be from Sandwell Council, advising the householder that they have been paying too much council tax and that their property is in the wrong property band. They then arrange a visit and ask for £175.00 cash/cheque for the service.

Another scam, that has taken place in the Cradley Heath area, is that an elderly person was visited by someone, again claiming they were from Sandwell Council, who upon entering the property unplugged the phone line (therefore the community alarm would not work) and demanded £300.00, they left with £30.00.

The police are investigating the above cases.