A new scam text claiming to offer a “living allowance” from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is circulating across the country.
The DWP has issued a warning to benefit claimants about fraudsters attempting to steal bank details by tricking victims with texts.
Criminals are targeting those who receive a state pension, Personal Independence payments (PIP) and Universal Credit.
Scams that use a legitimate business or organisation to gain victims’ trust, called impersonation scams, are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
These often feature official-looking websites and logos to appear trustworthy.
The scam tries to appeal to victims by promising a fake winter heating subsidy and also includes a link to a fraudulent website designed to mimic official government pages and trick people into revealing financial information.
Bryn Thompson, a representative at Phonely, the platform that discovered the Winter Fuel Allowance scam, warned: “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 DWP shared a post on X, urging people to “be aware of scam text messages claiming to be from @dwpgovuk.
“Always be careful about links and never share personal or financial details. Only engage with trusted official sources.”
The official UK Government website offers guidelines on how to identify potential scams including looking out for signs in the message such as rushing you to act immediately, using a threatening tone or if the text asks you for personal information such as bank details.
Other red flags include texts asking you to transfer money, offering refunds, tax rebates, or unexpected grants.
Have you lost money to a scam? Contact National Fraud Helpline. Call 0333 0033218 or fill out our Claim Form.