4 scam warnings issued by the DWP you need to know about
Benefit claimants and pensioners have been told to keep a look out for fraudsters sending texts claiming to work for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Scammers have been targeting winter fuel payment claimants as well as homeowners who may be eligible for an energy support scheme.
The DWP has issued four warnings on social media in the last month telling people to be aware of the scams, such as text messages from people claiming to work for the DWP.
Here's what you need to know about the scams — and how to stay safe if you receive a suspicious message.
Winter fuel payment scam
One of the most recent scams involves the winter fuel payment.
Perplexed recipients have spoken about receiving texts claiming to be a reminder that they have not yet sent their application for this year's 'winter allowance'.
Hallmarks of the scam include:
A text message claiming to be a worker from the DWP
The text says that the person has not yet submitted their winter fuel allowance payment, and could miss out on £300
Listing a deadline for a response – often the day the message arrives
If you click on the message, it may also ask for your card details and a £1 payment that will be refunded
The DWP has reminded pensioners that winter fuel payments are automatic, and they can report the scam at stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk.
A DWP spokesperson said: 'We never send text messages or emails requesting your bank details for winter fuel payment purposes.
'If you have any doubt whether a text is genuine, forward it to 7726 and you will receive a reply confirming if it's legitimate.'
Energy support scheme
Other people have noticed a text scam that tells people they are eligible for an 'Energy Support Scheme' to help with the high cost of gas and electricity.
It's worth noting that no such scheme exists under this name, although there are some other schemes available, like the warm home discount scheme.
To warn others, some X users have shared some examples of the fraudulent texts they received.
The message contains text similar to this: "You have not yet completed your application for an energy subsidy for 2025. The subsidy is between £200 and £300. Your application has not yet been detected by the system, so please ensure that you submit your application by 10 June. The channel will close after this date and the application will not be processed."
The message then contains a link that is not from a government website.
It continues: "(Once you have received a message from the system, please reply with 'y' and go to this page again, then exit the text message and re-open to activate the link, or copy the link and open it in your browser). Have a great day, DWP."
How do I protect myself from scammers?
Sadly, scams are only growing in sophistication, so it's best to be cautious if you receive a text message or a call from an unrecognised number — or a supposed government department.
Action Fraud, which advises people on how to protect themselves from scammers, has developed a checklist for anyone who has received a random text from an unknown number claiming to be someone else.
Be wary if you see:
an 'irresistible' product offer or prize from a number or company you don't know
an urgent alert about security, for example your bank account details have been compromised
a message about a product or service you haven't purchased or requested
a delivery company demanding you pay a fee before they deliver a parcel
an appeal from a family member asking you to send money
encouragement to click on an unknown link – if you're not sure, visit the organisation's website directly rather than clicking through
a request for you to share personal data
language designed to create a sense of urgency or panic
messages sent outside normal business hours, especially if they're very late at night or very early in the morning
If you've seen something that doesn't feel right:
break the contact – don't reply, click on any links or make any payments
check if it's genuine: contact the person or company directly, using a phone number you already have and know is correct
forward the message for free to 7726 to report it
Check Action Fraud for more information.
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