RESIDENTS are being told to be vigilant after phone scammers tried to con a local resident out of money by pretending to be from a fake magazine.

A man reportedly called from a mobile phone number, 07523075430, claiming to be from the ‘Regional Crime Prevention at Bromsgrove Community Safety Partnership’

A spokesman from Bromsgrove Council has stressed no such thing exists.

They added: "This is a known national scam that tries to obtain banking details or subscription monies over the phone either by selling adverts or subscriptions to official-sounding, but non-existent, magazines. Nobody is authorised by any Bromsgrove District Council-affiliated service to cold call asking for money like this."

Cllr Phil Thomas, whose portfolio at Bromsgrove District Council includes community safety, added: “Thankfully this resident was alive to the scam and didn’t fall for it, and then reported it to us so we could warn others. But the scammers will try their luck, and prey on the vulnerable.

“No council service would behave like this. It’s going to be a scam, and if you’re ever in any doubt you can simply contact the council to check with us. All our services will always be happy for you to check that we’re legitimate before dealing with us, if you have any concerns.

“As ever the key advice is to always be extremely careful about giving any sensitive personal information out to anybody, unless you can be certain they’re legitimate and safe.”

The warning comes hot on the heels of Citizens Advice warnings of a separate national scam that sees unwitting victims promised ‘emergency loans’ or ‘government grants’ for a fee, but then actually having advance payment Universal Credit (UC) applications made on their behalf without their knowledge - cancelling any other benefits they may have and leaving them out of pocket and with administrative problems.