Avoiding Scams – Advice from Age Scotland
The chances are that you or someone you know has recently received a text message or email urging you to sign up to get this year’s winter fuel payment. The message claims to be from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and says you won’t receive the benefit unless you’re register your bank details through the link.
Hopefully you will realise this is a scam but here’s how you know for sure: this year‘s Pension Age Winter Heating Payment for pensioners in Scotland will come from Social Security Scotland, not the DWP. Everyone who is eligible will receive it automatically and you do not have to sign up anywhere.
The texts often sound urgent – warning you that if you don’t act now you will miss out on your winter heating payment. Again this is not the case.
This year pensioners in Scotland will receive the new devolved benefit – Pension
Age Winter Heating Payment -which replaces Winter Fuel Payment, the benefit which was withdrawn last year across the UK but has been reinstated this year for pensioners in England and Wales.
It’s understandable why people might be confused about where the money is coming from, but Social Security Scotland is now the agency responsible for delivering the winter heating payment. Letters confirming the payment will be sent out from November.
Tips to identify scam messages:
- Be suspicious of messages asking you to send money or share personal information such as passwords or bank details
- Scammers try to create panic by setting a time limit or saying something frightening. Stop and think before giving out information.
- Don’t follow links in suspicious emails or download files
- Check phone numbers and email addresses on the official websites
- Use ‘contact us’ sections to access information and service