Answering Winter Fuel Payment text message could see you lose more money

The message pressures recipients to act quickly and apply for the “living subsidy”

A new text message scam is preying on concerns surrounding winter heating subsidies, exploiting recent government cuts to target vulnerable individuals. The fraudulent message claims to be from the "UK Government Living Allowance Office" and lures recipients with promises of a fabricated winter heating subsidy. The scam includes a link that directs users to a fake government website, designed to appear legitimate and gather personal information.

One victim reported receiving the message: “UK Government Living Allowance Office Last Time Reminder: Due to the reduction of winter heating subsidy, you can no longer receive it, and the UK government has decided to advance the living subsidy to allow you to survive the winter. We will reopen applications. Please apply for your living subsidy in the link as soon as possible after receiving the information. If you do not submit an application before 2024/10/15, we will cancel your qualification and reallocate the funds. Thank you for your support to the UK Government.”

The scam message creates a sense of urgency, pressuring recipients to act quickly and apply for the “living subsidy” before a specific deadline. The link provided in the message leads to a fraudulent website designed to mimic official government pages, tricking victims into revealing sensitive information.

Reports of the scam were flagged by Phonely's “Who Called Me?” platform, a community-driven tool that helps users report and share suspicious numbers. Bryn Thompson, a representative at Phonely, warns: "We urge people to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited messages, especially those claiming to be from government bodies. Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to trick individuals into providing personal information or clicking on malicious links. It’s important to verify the legitimacy of these messages and never act hastily."

The Winter Fuel Payment is a benefit provided by the UK Government to help older people manage their heating costs. However, recent government cuts have reduced the number of eligible recipients, creating uncertainty for millions of pensioners across the UK. This year, only about 1.5 million pensioners will qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment, a significant drop from the 11.4 million who previously received it when the benefit was universal. Scammers have seized on this uncertainty, preying on the confusion and fears surrounding the changes to exploit vulnerable individuals.

The official UK Government website offers guidelines on how to identify potential scams. According to the gov.uk website, it’s important to look out for the following signs when receiving unsolicited contact:

• The message rushes you to act immediately.
• It is threatening in tone.
• It is unexpected or unsolicited.
• It asks for personal information, such as bank details.
• It asks you to transfer money.
• It offers a refund, tax rebate, or grant unexpectedly.

What to do if you receive a suspicious text:

• Forward suspicious text messages to 60599. Please note that text messages will be charged at your network rate.
• If you’ve been a victim of a scam and suffered financial loss, report it to Action Fraud or to Police Scotland by calling 101 if you live in Scotland.