A worried scam victim couple are threatening legal action against a council 'harassing' them for more than £6,000 they paid to fraudsters by mistake. 

As previously reported, Clive and Jill Mounce, 67 and 66, of Church Lane, Norton, near Worcester, paid out £6,126, believing they were paying a legitimate CIL charge to Malvern Hills District Council.

Instead, the money went to scammers in July as the council continues to ask the couple to clear the actual debt, the same amount 'to the penny' they already paid to scammers.

STATEMENT: Even their bank statement says the payment was made to 'Malvern Hills Council' (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Both now describe how mounting stress is causing them poor health, all for a charge they say they have already paid.

However, the council said while it sympathises with the couple, giving them time to resolve the issue, it cannot waive the payment.

"I'm suffering panic attacks and don't know where to turn," said Mrs Mounce.

Months after they paid what they thought was the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) for a new build property in Alfrick 'in good faith', the council advised the retired couple the payment was never received.

ILL: Both Clive and Jill Mounce say the stress is making them ill as Malvern Hills District Council continue to demand the money (Image: James Connell/Newsquest) Both say they have had enough with the final straw being yet another email demanding they pay up.

They maintain the council agreed, in writing, to waive the charge after learning of the scam, the couple providing what they say is written evidence of this agreement - an email which says 'please rest assured that we will not ask you to pay the CIL a second time'.

They say they made repeated attempts to contact the council to verify the authenticity of the transaction before the money went through.

However, the person they needed to speak to was unavailable.

Mr Mounce said: "My wife is now very ill because of this. She won't even open her emails.

"As far as we're concerned we have paid the money. The council did not even get back to us for three months to alert us it may be a scam. I've had enough of it. I dread waking up." 

In a letter to the council which asks them to drop the demands, he writes about the effect the incident has had on the couple's health.

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Mrs Mounce has visited the doctor and is now on medication for stress and anxiety while Mr Mounce's blood pressure is also very high.

Lloyds Bank, which refuses to refund the money, wrote to Mr Mounce last October, telling him he was the victim of an Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud.

Meanwhile, 'scam' emails demanding payment have 'disappeared' from his inbox and they want the council to cancel the charge and write off the debt. 

Malvern Hills District Council and Mr Mounce both insist they have not been hacked.

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Action Fraud told them it has not been possible to identify a line of enquiry which a law enforcement agency in the United Kingdom could pursue.

A spokesperson for Malvern Hills District Council, said it sympathises with the couple.

"...but we cannot waive a statutory payment that is due to the council because of an error they unfortunately made.

"The Community Infrastructure Levy is used for key infrastructure projects to support local communities. The council has tried to support the Mounces by giving them time to try to resolve the matter with their bank and take their own independent legal advice without adding further legitimate interest or surcharges."