Scores of people across Loose near Maidstone have today received the same scam email.

Purporting to be from "HM Courts and Tribunal" it demands payment of £13.24 for using "a vehicle on a road in a charging area, for which a charging scheme applies, without paying the appropriate charge."

The "offence" is alleged to have occurred on October 5, at "16.24pm." (sic)

South Ward Councillor Brian Clark is among those to have received the scam. He said: "I wasn’t in any ‘charging area’ on October 5 and the actual email address behind the official sounding sender is nothing to do with the government.

"These fake emails look very convincing at first sight. The sender has clearly decided to seek only a small charge to make recipients think it will not be a big cost to resolve things.

"People should always be wary before clicking on anything that comes from an unexpected source like this."

John French, who also received the email, said: "I had exactly the same email. It doesn't mention the details of the vehicle which is another give away that this is fake."

Dan McNary said: "I had this today as well. Strange how everyone in Loose is committing the same violation on the same day!"

Mr McNary dug deeper into the issue and discovered the email domain originates in Massachusetts in America.

If anyone has been taken in by the scam and paid the "fine", they can report it to Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting service, on 03001 232 040.

The real clue to the scam is that all court summons, fixed penalty notices and genuine charge demands come by post.

To get the latest updates in ongoing cases, police appeals and criminals put behind bars, click here

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone