Barking and Dagenham Council is alerting Londoners of an ongoing scam purporting to come from the council promising people access to properties in the borough.

The dubious adverts on Snapchat from handles @clickspot and @Plugtalk_jay advertising properties in Barking and Dagenham.

The spam messages ask prospective tenants to provide details including the date of birth, National Insurance number, email and telephone number, current address, passport and bank details.

The scammers further go o to ask prospective tenants that once they send the information, they will receive a call from the council with an offer to view the property, receive a tenancy agreement guaranteeing a ‘right to buy’ – and move in straightaway.

Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Cllr Darren Rodwell is asking people to be aware of this scam and said: “Barking and Dagenham Council will not make such claims on social media and where we offer housing options, our residents know where to go and who to contact.

“I will advise people who are tempted by these outrageous and ‘too good to be true’ offers to first check with the council or report to the police.”

For advice on scams or to report a scam, residents should contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or www.citizensadvice.org.uk and Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk/