People in Suffolk are being warned against falling victim to phone scammers after reports of suspicious voicemails about HM Revenue and Customs lawsuits.

Suffolk Trading Standards said: “We’ve had reports of Suffolk residents receiving suspicious voicemails from ‘HMRC’ about lawsuits. This is a scam, HMRC will not contact you in this way. Do not comply.

“Whilst for some it may seem like a clear scam, make sure you talk with friends, family and neighbours who might not be so scam aware.”

For advice on recognising HMRC scams, and details of how to report them, visit the HMRC website.

Other scam calls may offer a tax refund and request bank or credit card information. If you cannot verify the identity of the caller, HMRC recommends that you do not speak to them.

If you’ve been a victim of the scam and suffered financial loss, report it to Action Fraud.