Latest news with #scamAlert
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Urgent scam warning issued over £150 Winter Fuel payment
Pensioners are being warned about scam texts falsely claiming they need to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that the Winter Fuel Payment is now automatically issued, requiring no application from eligible individuals. Eligibility for the payment has been expanded to include approximately nine million pensioners with incomes up to £35,000. Fraudulent texts often request bank details, payment, or create a false sense of urgency with application deadlines. Authorities advise vigilance and urge people not to provide personal information in response to these scam messages.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Winter Fuel Payment scammers posing as DWP target vulnerable pensioners
Pensioners have been warned to watch out for scam texts about the Winter Fuel Payment changes after Labour confirmed millions more will be able to receive it this year. Eligibility for the payment was slashed for 2024, excluding all but the very poorest pensioners from claiming it. The government has now responded to calls to undo this measure, raising the threshold so that anyone with an income of or below £35,000 will receive it this winter. Just over three-quarters of pensioners – nine million people – will now receive the benefit, the government estimates. The further two million pensioners with taxable incomes above the threshold will remain exempt. Crucially, pensioners now don't need to do anything to receive the payment. It will now be paid automatically to all, with those with incomes over the threshold having it clawed back automatically through the tax system. This means any text purporting to be from the DWP urging pensioners to 'apply' for their Winter Fuel Payment a scam, the department has confirmed. Those receiving these texts should be especially wary if they contain requests for bank details, payment, or claim there is a time limit. The issue was recently raised by Cheshire West and Chester council, whose trading standards officers are warning pensioners in the area against falling foul of the scam texts after seeing a rise in them. The local authority has shared an example of a fraudulent text that was sent to a pensioner in the area: 'DWP Service Centre: You have not yet completed your application for an energy subsidy for 2024-2025. The subsidy is £300. It is important that you submit your application by 10 June. Late applications will not be processed. (LINK) (Please reply 'yes' and 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.' One woman on social media shared how she fell foul of a scam earlier this year: 'I'm absolutely furious! I have just been the victim of a scam targeting older people. I was sent a text message supposed to be from the D.W.P, telling me about the winter fuel payment. The text continues to say that I can't get this because I have not completed the application form yet. 'They said that the deadline is tomorrow and therefore I must complete the form urgently. So they wanted details my full name phone number email address and they wanted to test my card by saying if I pay them £1 then they would reimburse me. 'When I tried to use my debit card it wasn't acceptable so I used my credit card. After that it said that I should send the code that they had sent me to make sure my money was safe. But they hadn't sent me a code. And everytime I pressed help nothing happened. 'They have details to all my money and I am unbelievably stressed so please people be very careful and don't fall for a scam like I did.' Fortunately, she was able to contact her bank to cancel both of her cards, meaning no money had been lost. The pensioner revealed that the scammers had attempted to add her credit card to a mobile phone, but failed because it was cancelled. Cheshire West and Chester council cabinet member for community safety, Stuart Bingham said: 'This latest scam appears timed to coincide with the chancellor's announcement this week of the changes to the winter fuel payment, extending the eligibility criteria. Watch out for fake text messages claiming to be from the Government, inviting you to apply for a new winter fuel payment. 'This scam is a repeat of a similar scam in the autumn of 2024. There is no requirement to apply for the payment. Do not give anyone your personal data after receiving a text message. Please also check on vulnerable neighbours and relatives to ensure they are aware of this scam.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Pensioners warned to watch out for Winter Fuel Payment scam texts after Labour changes
Pensioners have been warned to watch out for scam texts about the Winter Fuel Payment changes after Labour confirmed millions more will be able to receive it this year. Eligibility for the payment was slashed for 2024, excluding all but the very poorest pensioners from claiming it. The government has now responded to calls to undo this measure, raising the threshold so that anyone with an income of or below £35,000 will receive it this winter. Just over three-quarters of pensioners – nine million people – will now receive the benefit, the government estimates. The further two million pensioners with taxable incomes above the threshold will remain exempt. Crucially, pensioners now don't need to do anything to receive the payment. It will now be paid automatically to all, with those with incomes over the threshold having it clawed back automatically through the tax system. This means any text purporting to be from the DWP urging pensioners to 'apply' for their Winter Fuel Payment a scam, the department has confirmed. Those receiving these texts should be especially wary if they contain requests for bank details, payment, or claim there is a time limit. The issue was recently raised by Cheshire West and Chester council, whose trading standards officers are warning pensioners in the area against falling foul of the scam texts after seeing a rise in them. The local authority has shared an example of a fraudulent text that was sent to a pensioner in the area: 'DWP Service Centre: You have not yet completed your application for an energy subsidy for 2024-2025. The subsidy is £300. It is important that you submit your application by 10 June. Late applications will not be processed. (LINK) (Please reply 'yes' and 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.' One woman on social media shared how she fell foul of a scam earlier this year: 'I'm absolutely furious! I have just been the victim of a scam targeting older people. I was sent a text message supposed to be from the D.W.P, telling me about the winter fuel payment. The text continues to say that I can't get this because I have not completed the application form yet. 'They said that the deadline is tomorrow and therefore I must complete the form urgently. So they wanted details my full name phone number email address and they wanted to test my card by saying if I pay them £1 then they would reimburse me. 'When I tried to use my debit card it wasn't acceptable so I used my credit card. After that it said that I should send the code that they had sent me to make sure my money was safe. But they hadn't sent me a code. And everytime I pressed help nothing happened. 'They have details to all my money and I am unbelievably stressed so please people be very careful and don't fall for a scam like I did.' Fortunately, she was able to contact her bank to cancel both of her cards, meaning no money had been lost. The pensioner revealed that the scammers had attempted to add her credit card to a mobile phone, but failed because it was cancelled. Cheshire West and Chester council cabinet member for community safety, Stuart Bingham said: 'This latest scam appears timed to coincide with the chancellor's announcement this week of the changes to the winter fuel payment, extending the eligibility criteria. Watch out for fake text messages claiming to be from the Government, inviting you to apply for a new winter fuel payment. 'This scam is a repeat of a similar scam in the autumn of 2024. There is no requirement to apply for the payment. Do not give anyone your personal data after receiving a text message. Please also check on vulnerable neighbours and relatives to ensure they are aware of this scam.'
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
Grandparents getting scammed in Chatham-Kent
Chatham-Kent police are issuing a scam alert about the 'grandparent scam' happening in Chatham-Kent. Scammers pretend to be a grandchild in distress and pressure seniors into sending money. Here are some tips from police: -Talk to your elderly loved ones about this scam. -Share this post to help raise awareness. -Report scam calls to Chatham-Kent Police Service at 519-352-1234 or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501).
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Warning issued to all Brits heading to Lisbon over airport scam
A Portuguese resident has lifted the lid on a 'rip-off' that tourists often fall for when landing one of the country's most visited destination - and says it sees them 'paying treble' of the true cost. Instagrammer @nationswithoutborders, who lives with her American husband in Portugal but hails from the Netherlands, regularly shares money-saving travel tips for people visiting the country. Her latest sage advice involves getting from popular city break Lisbon's airport into the centre, without falling for hefty taxi charges often applied by local drivers - with one person saying they'd experienced it first hand, paying €120 (£102) for a one-way trip that's just 4.3 miles. Holidaymakers who arrive at the Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon might spy the 'taxi' signs and head straight for them - but should, says @nationswithoutborders, not jump in one unless they don't mind paying through the nose. She explains: 'Taxis aren't necessarily bad and not all taxi drivers are scammers, but it is generally known by the people living in Lisbon that there is a big, big chance that you'll get ripped off by the taxis at the airport.' Captioning her video 'Alert to anyone arriving at Lisbon Airport' she details how the 'well organised' queue looks enticing because it moves quickly - but says standing in line could see you ripped off in two ways. The first is when 'you or the taxi driver instigates a negotiation session', where you discuss the price - often inflated - in advance and then don't have the meter on during the journey. The second is just blindly getting in the cab without negotiating a price first, which she calls a 'rookie mistake', which leads to the taxi driver 'making up a number at the end of your trip'. The price a journey into Lisbon is likely to cost tourists could be as much as 'three times the price of an Uber', says the travel tipster, and significantly higher than the Metro. A standard trip with a taxi driver costs up to €25 (£21) in a metered car compared to an Uber journey, which costs around €9 (£7.67) for the short journey, which is less than 5 miles. Meanwhile, the city's Aeroporto – Saldanha Metro line takes just 20 minutes and costs less than £2 for a single journey. One local said the video offered great advice, writing: 'I am Portuguese and I 100% approve this video ! Uber or Bolt is the way to go, and not only at the airport!' Another said they'd heard horror stories of people being charged up to €80 (£68) for the ten-minute ride and one person said they paid even more. They wrote: 'Arrived in Lisbon last week, was charged €120 (£102) by taxi outside airport, got Uber back to airport and it was €39 (£33). Totally ripped off...' However, others disputed the tip, with one saying: 'Took a taxi from the airport just last week and had absolutely no issue, price was fair, around 20 euro. Helped with our luggage and even gave us recommendations.' In 2024, tourists were warned about restaurants in Lisbon also reportedly ripping off tourists with higher prices than they charge to locals, who are given cheaper rates for food on a wink-and-nod basis. Some tourists have had positive experiences, but others have complained about high taxi fares in the city A report in a Portuguese newspaper claimed multilingual menus given to visitors visiting the capital have higher prices than those charged to residents. The lower prices are 'transmitted verbally, in whispers or indicated on menus placed in inconspicuous or even hidden areas', the report claims. Industry experts said the selectively different pricing for people based on their nationality is 'completely illegal' while Portugal's national hospitality trade body said at the time that it was not aware of the practice taking place. Last week, tourists and locals in a popular Spanish holiday hotspot have been issued a warning about a parking scam. Alicante's council has warned that the new scam has been catching out locals around the city. The crafty scammers have been leaving fake parking fines on people's windscreens in Alicante, reports Euro Weekly News. The fake fines have a QR code printed on them which the drivers are expected to scan. Once they do so, the QR code will take people to the scammers' website which asks them to enter their personal and banking details. The scammers may then be able to take large amounts of money from their victims using the fake website. The council explains that a real parking fine won't come with a QR code. An official fine will also have 'Boletin de denuncia' at the top. It will also have the Ayuntamiento (council) logo at the top and drivers will be asked to use a barcode, not a QR code, to register their fine. If drivers find a ticket with a QR code on their car, they should take a photo of it and let the local police know. While the scam has been reported in Avenida Benito Perez Galdos, officials suspect that the conmen are also targeting other neighbourhoods in Alicante. Officials recommend that tourists check any suspicious-looking tickets with the council or police.
