The Office of Fair Trading is warning of a telephone scam with callers alleging to be from an insurance company representing the UK government.

An OFT statement said: ’The caller claims that an amount is owed to you because your property had been wrongly banded presumably for taxation/insurance purposes and attempts to get your bank details supposedly to make payment.

’In reality, the caller is simply trying to obtain your personal and/or financial details to enable them to carry out further fraudulent activities.’

The OFT advises members of the public to put the phone down, and to not engage with these individuals.

Further information and advice on ’Scams’ in general can be found on the OFT’s website www.gov.im/oft  or by calling 686500.

 Action Fraud’s website www.actionfraud.police.uk is also a useful source of information and advice about the many different types of scams and how to avoid them.