Latest news with #WinterHeatingPayment
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Lanarkshire locals warned by leading charity over scam text messages
Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service said anyone receiving such a message should delete it and report it to them. Lanarkshire locals are being warned over scam text messages claiming that they are about to miss out on help with their heating bills, according to a leading charity. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service said anyone receiving such a message should delete it and report it to them. The fake texts previously appeared to be circulating only in England and Wales, but scammers are now targeting people north of the border as well. The messages, which claim to come from the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), urge recipients to apply for the 'Winter Heating Allowance' through a fake website. One such scam message reads: 'According to DWP records: You have not yet submitted your application for Winter Heating Allowance 2025-2026.' It adds that people will only receive the '£300 payment' if they complete their application soon, giving a false deadline. It is thought that the scam originated in the wake of the UK Government's announcement about the Winter Fuel Payment in June, a benefit which applies in England and Wales. In Scotland, the separate Winter Heating Payment is administered by Social Security Scotland, and no application is required. Payments are made automatically to those who are eligible. Advice Direct Scotland is warning that links included in the messages may lead to fake websites designed to steal people's personal and financial details. The charity is urging people to spread the word about the scam, particularly if they have older friends or relatives who may be more vulnerable to fraudsters. Anyone receiving such a message should contact on 0808 164 6000, or report the scam via the tool at Figures published by Advice Direct Scotland in June show digital scams have surged by over 1,000 per cent since 2021, with reported losses totalling £861,384 in the past year. Cases include romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, phishing emails with fake deals, and false social media adverts pressuring victims to hand over money, bank details or personal information. Hazel Knowles, consumer project lead at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'These scam messages are highly convincing and may target vulnerable people, particularly older citizens who might be expecting legitimate support. 'It's important to remember that the genuine Winter Heating Payment in Scotland is automatic if you are eligible, and there is no application process. 'You will automatically receive a single payment between December and February, and you will get an email from Social Security Scotland informing you when it's coming. 'Anyone who receives a suspicious text message should avoid clicking on links, never share personal or banking details, and report the scam immediately. 'If you are unsure about any message or wish to report a scam, our team is here to help. 'You can contact our expert advisers on 0808 164 6000 and they will be happy to assist you.' *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Daily Record
02-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Scots warned over scam text messages 'offering help with heating bills'
The text says people will only receive the "£300 payment" if they complete their application soon - giving a false deadline. Scots have been warned over scam text messages claiming they are about to miss out on help with their heating bills. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service said anyone receiving such a message should delete it and report it to them. The charity warns the fake text previously appeared to be circulating only in England and Wales, but scammers are now targeting people north of the border as well. The messages, which claim to come from the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), urge recipients to apply for the ' Winter Heating Allowance ' through a fake website. One such scam message reads: 'According to DWP records: You have not yet submitted your application for Winter Heating Allowance 2025-2026." It adds that people will only receive the "£300 payment" if they complete their application soon, giving a false deadline. It is thought that the scam originated in the wake of the UK Government's announcement about the Winter Fuel Payment in June, a benefit which applies in England and Wales. In Scotland, the separate Winter Heating Payment is administered by Social Security Scotland, and no application is required. Payments are made automatically to those who are eligible. Advice Direct Scotland is warning that links included in the messages may lead to fake websites designed to steal people's personal and financial details. The charity is urging people to spread the word about the scam, particularly if they have older friends or relatives who may be more vulnerable to fraudsters. Hazel Knowles, consumer project lead at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'These scam messages are highly convincing and may target vulnerable people, particularly older citizens who might be expecting legitimate support. 'It's important to remember that the genuine Winter Heating Payment in Scotland is automatic if you are eligible, and there is no application process. 'You will automatically receive a single payment between December and February, and you will get an email from Social Security Scotland informing you when it's coming. 'Anyone who receives a suspicious text message should avoid clicking on links, never share personal or banking details, and report the scam immediately. 'If you are unsure about any message or wish to report a scam, our team is here to help." Figures published by Advice Direct Scotland in June show digital scams have surged by over 1,000 per cent since 2021, with reported losses totalling £861,384 in the past year. Cases include romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, phishing emails with fake deals, and false social media adverts pressuring victims to hand over money, bank details or personal information. Anyone receiving such a message should contact on 0808 164 6000, or report the scam via the tool at
Glasgow Times
01-08-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Scammers target Scottish public with heating bill texts
The scam texts, which claim to come from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), falsely offer a Winter Heating Allowance and direct recipients to a fraudulent website. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service has warned that the messages are designed to steal personal and financial information. Read more: 'Alarmed': Man had to pay more than £1k in council tax due to post delays The charity is urging the public to help spread the word about the scam and to warn older friends and relatives who may be more vulnerable. Hazel Knowles, consumer project lead at Advice Direct Scotland, said: "These scam messages are highly convincing and may target vulnerable people, particularly older citizens who might be expecting legitimate support. "It's important to remember that the genuine Winter Heating Payment in Scotland is automatic if you are eligible, and there is no application process. "You will automatically receive a single payment between December and February, and you will get an email from Social Security Scotland informing you when it's coming. "Anyone who receives a suspicious text message should avoid clicking on links, never share personal or banking details, and report the scam immediately." The scam messages, which claim recipients must apply for the payment, have begun circulating in Scotland after initially appearing only in England and Wales. These misleading texts claim individuals must apply to receive a £300 payment and give a false deadline to create a sense of urgency. Read more: Expert warns this bad habit can invalidate home insurance (and lure burglars) Advice Direct Scotland believes the scam began following the UK Government's announcement of the Winter Fuel Payment in June, which applies only to England and Wales. Figures published by Advice Direct Scotland revealed that digital scams have risen by more than 1000% since 2021, with reported losses totalling £861,384 in the past year. The scams include romance fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, phishing emails, and fake social media adverts. Anyone who receives a suspicious message is advised to contact on 0808 164 6000, or report the scam via the tool at
STV News
01-08-2025
- Business
- STV News
Scots warned over scam text messages offering help with heating bills
Scots are being targeted by scam text messages claiming they are missing out on help with their heating bills, according to a leading charity. Advice Direct Scotland said anyone receiving such a message should delete it and report it to them, with the fake texts previously circulating in England and Wales. They say scammers are now targeting people in Scotland. The messages, which claim to come from the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), urge recipients to apply for the 'Winter Heating Allowance' through a fake website. One such scam message reads, 'According to DWP records, you have not yet submitted your application for Winter Heating Allowance 2025-2026.' Supplied Scots are being targeted by scam text messages claiming that they are about to miss out on help with their heating bills, according to a leading charity. It adds that people will only receive the £300 payment if they complete their application soon, giving a false deadline. It is thought that the scam originated in the wake of the UK Government's announcement in June about the Winter Fuel Payment, a benefit that applies in England and Wales. In Scotland, the separate Winter Heating Payment is administered by Social Security Scotland, and no application is required. Payments are made automatically to those who are eligible. Advice Direct Scotland is warning that links included in the messages may lead to fake websites designed to steal people's personal and financial details. The charity is urging people to spread the word about the scam, particularly if they have older friends or relatives who may be more vulnerable to fraudsters. It comes after figures from Advice Direct Scotland in June showed digital scams have surged by over 1,000% since 2021, with reported losses totalling £861,384 in the past year. Cases include romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, phishing emails with fake deals, and false social media adverts pressuring victims to hand over money, bank details or personal information. Hazel Knowles, consumer project lead at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'These scam messages are highly convincing and may target vulnerable people, particularly older citizens who might be expecting legitimate support. 'It's important to remember that the genuine Winter Heating Payment in Scotland is automatic if you are eligible, and there is no application process. 'You will automatically receive a single payment between December and February, and you will get an email from Social Security Scotland informing you when it's coming. 'Anyone who receives a suspicious text message should avoid clicking on links, never share personal or banking details, and report the scam immediately. 'If you are unsure about any message or wish to report a scam, our team is here to help. 'You can contact our expert advisers on 0808 164 6000 and they will be happy to assist you.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
01-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
West Lothian locals warned by leading charity over scam text messages
Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service said anyone receiving such a message should delete it and report it to them. West Lothian locals are being warned over scam text messages claiming that they are about to miss out on help with their heating bills, according to a leading charity. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service said anyone receiving such a message should delete it and report it to them. The fake texts previously appeared to be circulating only in England and Wales, but scammers are now targeting people north of the border as well. The messages, which claim to come from the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), urge recipients to apply for the 'Winter Heating Allowance' through a fake website. One such scam message reads: 'According to DWP records: You have not yet submitted your application for Winter Heating Allowance 2025-2026.' It adds that people will only receive the '£300 payment' if they complete their application soon, giving a false deadline. It is thought that the scam originated in the wake of the UK Government's announcement about the Winter Fuel Payment in June, a benefit which applies in England and Wales. In Scotland, the separate Winter Heating Payment is administered by Social Security Scotland, and no application is required. Payments are made automatically to those who are eligible. Advice Direct Scotland is warning that links included in the messages may lead to fake websites designed to steal people's personal and financial details. The charity is urging people to spread the word about the scam, particularly if they have older friends or relatives who may be more vulnerable to fraudsters. Anyone receiving such a message should contact on 0808 164 6000, or report the scam via the tool at Figures published by Advice Direct Scotland in June show digital scams have surged by over 1,000 per cent since 2021, with reported losses totalling £861,384 in the past year. Cases include romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, phishing emails with fake deals, and false social media adverts pressuring victims to hand over money, bank details or personal information. Hazel Knowles, consumer project lead at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'These scam messages are highly convincing and may target vulnerable people, particularly older citizens who might be expecting legitimate support. 'It's important to remember that the genuine Winter Heating Payment in Scotland is automatic if you are eligible, and there is no application process. 'You will automatically receive a single payment between December and February, and you will get an email from Social Security Scotland informing you when it's coming. 'Anyone who receives a suspicious text message should avoid clicking on links, never share personal or banking details, and report the scam immediately. 'If you are unsure about any message or wish to report a scam, our team is here to help. 'You can contact our expert advisers on 0808 164 6000 and they will be happy to assist you.'
