Scammers target UK senior citizens with Winter Fuel Payment texts

Scammers target UK senior citizens with Winter Fuel Payment texts

November 9, 2024 at 04:10PM

Scammers are targeting UK seniors with fake “winter heating allowance” texts, exploiting recent government cuts to fuel payments. Fraudulent messages solicit personal and payment information via a deceptive GOV.UK lookalike site. Authorities warn recipients to avoid clicking links and report potential scams to Cyber Security and Action Fraud.

### Meeting Takeaways:

1. **Winter Season Scams**: There is a significant rise in scam texts targeting senior British residents related to “winter heating allowance” and “cost of living support.”

2. **Government Payment Cuts**: The UK government’s recent decision to cut winter fuel payments affects approximately 10 million pensioners, making them vulnerable to these scams.

3. **Phishing Campaign Details**:
– Scammers are sending fake texts urging recipients to apply quickly for winter fuel credits.
– Texts include warnings such as “last notice” to respond before a specified deadline (e.g., November 12th) to receive the benefits.
– Scam texts link to a fraudulent GOV.UK lookalike page that collects personal and payment information.

4. **Scam Example**: A sample text contains misinformation about the status of winter heating allowances, leading to a fake application site (noticesgove[.]top).

5. **Mobile-Only Design**: The phishing site effectively operates only on mobile devices; accessing it from a computer leads to a message indicating that the domain is for sale.

6. **Cautions from Authorities**:
– The UK Police’s Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) advises pensioners to be vigilant against scam messages allegedly from government departments.
– Recipients are cautioned not to click on links or provide personal or payment details.

7. **Reporting Scams**:
– Scams can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.
– Suspected scam texts should be forwarded to 7726, and users may also report them to Action Fraud.

### Action Items:
– Increase awareness campaigns to inform seniors about these scams.
– Encourage recipients of such messages to report them to the appropriate authorities.

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