WELCOME TO the official blog of Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association (BBNWA), Bexleyheath Police Station, 2 Arnsberg Way, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 4QS. Mobile Tel: 07496 385471 bexleynw@outlook.com Charity No: 1072368
With another winter of high energy bills ahead of us, many households have had to make do with colder homes, while others look for ways to improve energy efficiency.
From fake Ofgem offers for free boilers to dodgy dealers cloning prepayment meter keys, con artists are poised to capitalise on widespread money worries with a range of scams.
Check out the latest dodgy energy scams and keep yourself safe over the colder months.
Watch out
Source: Which? (25 Oct 2023)
Fraudsters are quick to exploit major news events to deceive unsuspecting victims.
Scammers can easily set up copycat websites or social media profiles in just a matter of minutes, posing as an organisation currently in the headlines and using these platforms to trick people into various scams.
One example involves scammers impersonating Ofgem to offer an 'energy bill rebate scheme' to families struggling to meet their payments.
See more examples of how fraudsters exploit news headlines and how you can dodge them.
Major event scams
Source: Which? (26 Sep 2023)
Law enforcement, government and private sectors partners are working together to encourage members of the public to be more vigilant against fraud, particularly about sharing their financial and personal information, as criminals seek to capitalise on the cost of living crisis.
Criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations and the police.
Stop: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
Challenge: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
Protect: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud*.
Report: Suspicious emails can be reported by forwarding them to: report@phishing.gov.uk. You can also report suspicious text message by forwarding them to 7726 (it’s free of charge). Your reports help us to remove the emails and websites used to perpetrate fraud and cyber crime.
We’ve listed some of the most common scams circulating right now with advice on how to spot, report and avoid falling victim.
Energy Bill Rebates
Between September 1, 2022 and November 13, 2022 Action Fraud received over 350 reports relating to fake text messages and emails purporting to be from the UK Government. The messages state that the recipient is “owed” or “eligible” for an energy bill discount as part of the Energy Bill Support Scheme.
Although the content of messages can vary, a significant number of emails are titled “Are you Eligible to Apply for Energy Bill Rebate” or “Government energy rebate scheme”, with a header in the email body stating “E.ON: Gas and electricity supplier”. Some emails include the Ofgem logo in an attempt to legitimise the correspondence.
The links in the emails and texts lead to genuine looking websites that are designed to steal personal and financial information.
Households in the UK do not need to apply for the Energy Bill Support Scheme and you will not be asked for your bank details. If you have spotted a suspicious text message, please forward it to 7726. If you have received an email which you’re not quite sure about, you should forward it to: report@phishing.gov.uk
In recent months, people have reported receiving suspicious phone calls from fraudsters claiming to be from their bank or the police. The scammer warns the recipient that several suspicious transactions have been made on their account related to scam government energy rebates and asks them to transfer their funds into a ‘safe account’.
Remember, your bank or the police will NEVER ask you to transfer money or move it to a safe account.
Cost of Living Payments
Since its announcement in May, fraudsters have been seeking to capitalise on coverage related to the government’s cost of living scheme, which offers £650 to millions of low income households.
The Department for Work and Pensions has issued a warning about scams related to cost of living assistance following reports of scam phone calls, emails and text messages. In one such example, the recipient is asked to claim or apply for the payment by registering via a link. The links in the emails and texts lead to genuine looking websites that are designed to steal personal and financial information.
Please remember, if you are eligible for cost of living assistance, you do no need to apply for the payment or contact the DWP directly. Payment to you is automatic and the DWP will never ask for personal details by SMS or email. More information is available here.
Fuel vouchers, phone bill discounts and supermarket offers
There has been a rise in consumers being targeted by phishing emails pretending to be from utility companies claiming to provide savings on energy bills, as well as offering fuel vouchers, phone bill discounts and supermarket offers. These emails are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are designed to harvest personal and financial information.
A number of supermarket brands have been spoofed in fake ads on social media with offers of too good to be true deals, competitions or giveaways. A number of people have reported seeing fake ads offering free food products that are due to expire. The ad encourages people to register via a link in order to win or claim the food. In reality, the offer does not exist and the third party website is designed to steal your personal or financial information.
In recent months, a number of people have reported receiving suspicious phone calls from scammers claiming to be from their phone provider. The scammer states that the phone owner is eligible for a discount on their phone bill due to cost of living hardships and then asks a series of questions designed to steal their personal information.
If you see an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always check the brand’s official website or social media channels to verify whether an offer is authentic.
You can report suspicious phone calls to Action Fraud here: Report a phishing attempt | Action Fraud
Fake investment opportunities
Money laundering and other financial crimes are on the rise as scammers continue to prey on people looking to save as much money as they can or offset rising costs by making investments that promise high returns. There are many different types of investment fraud, which usually involve criminals contacting people out of the blue and convincing them to invest in schemes or products that are worthless or do not exist. Once the criminals have received payment, they cease contact with the victim.
Fraudsters are using a range of social media platforms to contact people with offers of non-existent bank refunds. In many cases, the fraudster shares a fake screenshot showing amounts ranging from £1,289 to £1,855 being deposited into an account. This is intended to encourage the recipient to share their bank details and claim a refund. In reality, no refund exists and the scammer will use your financial information to steal money.
How to protect yourself from financial investment fraud:
Investment opportunities: Don’t be rushed into making an investment. Remember, legitimate organisations will never pressure you into investing on the spot.
Seek advice first: Before making significant financial decisions, speak with trusted friends or family members, or seek professional independent advice.
FCA register: Use the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) register to check if the company is regulated by the FCA. If you deal with a firm (or individual) that isn’t regulated, you may not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if things go wrong and you lose your money.
For more information about how to invest safely, please visit: https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart
Action Fraud also advises that the public follow the advice of Take Five to Stop Fraud in order to keep themselves safe from fraud.
Source: Action Fraud (06-12-2022)
Energy prices are set to increase on 1 October 2022 and in the last two weeks, more than 1,500 reports have been made to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) about scam emails purporting to be about energy rebates from Ofgem, the independent energy regulator for Great Britain.
In the two weeks from Monday 22nd August to Monday 5th August 2022, a total of 1,567 phishing emails related to this scam were reported via the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS).
Detective Chief Inspector Hayley King, from the City of London Police, said:
“It is shameful that in a time of financial hardship, criminals are targeting members of the public by claiming they are entitled to receiving rebates and refunds.
“If an email is genuine, the company will never push you into handing over your details. Always take a moment to consider if the request you have received is genuine.
“We would always urge people to follow the Take Five to Stop Fraud advice and think carefully before giving out their personal and financial details.”
In this instance, the reported scam emails claim that the recipient is due an energy rebate payment as part of a government scheme and provides links for the recipient to follow to apply for the rebate. The links in the emails lead to malicious websites designed to steal personal and financial information.
All of the reported emails display the email subject header “Claim your bill rebate now” and the criminals behind the scam are using the Ofgem logo and colours to make the email appear authentic.
However the emails ask recipients to “apply for an energy bill rebate before September 2020”, which prompted many recipients to realise the emails were not genuine and subsequently report the scam.
An Ofgem spokesperson said:
“Protecting consumers is our top priority and it is alarming that vulnerable customers are being preyed upon in this way when people are already struggling so much. That’s why, as energy regulator, on top of issuing our own warnings and advice, we have asked all energy suppliers to ensure clear and up to date information on scams is easily accessible on their websites.
“We take these attempts to exploit consumers very seriously and work with the National Cyber Security Centre to prevent these malicious attacks. If people are unsure if something is a scam they should pause, check and don’t let callers push you into anything.
“Genuine organisations won’t mind you calling back; only scammers apply pressure and insist you hand over details immediately. If you have any doubts about a message, consumers should contact the organisation directly and not use the numbers or address in the message – use the details from their official website.”
How to protect yourself
Online shopping scams, where you pay and get nothing or something significantly different from your order, peak during the festive period. T...
