Be wary of scams on UK government’s £400 energy bills cut, Which? warns

All households in Wales, England and Scotland will receive £400 to help with rising fuel bills this autumn, the UK government has announced.

The £400 discount, administered by energy suppliers, will be paid to consumers over 6 months with payments starting from October 2022, to “ensure households receive financial support throughout the winter months.”

Households are being warned not to fall for a scam linked to the government’s pledged £400 rebate on energy bills.

Consumers are being urged to be wary of scams such as text messages which appear to be from the energy regulator, Ofgem, but have actually been sent by fraudsters.

The scam involves a text being sent to people reading: “You are eligible for the government funded £400.00 energy bill rebate. To complete your application, visit: ofgem.secure-reg.com”.

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:

“Fraudsters are relentless in their pursuit of people’s personal information and money, and there has been a huge jump in energy-related scams exploiting the cost of living crisis, so consumers should be really wary of suspicious texts, emails or letters using the energy bills discount as a hook.

“While energy suppliers will be reaching out to customers about the discount, it is important to note that they will never ask for bank details.”

“Customers on traditional prepayment meters who will receive the rebate via vouchers can prepare by making sure their contact details are up to date and looking out for letters from their supplier, but it is also incumbent on suppliers to make clear to customers how and when they will be communicating with them to avoid potential confusion.”

“Which? encourages energy suppliers to sign up to its SMS best practice guide for businesses, to make it easier for consumers to spot scam texts impersonating suppliers.”