People throughout the UK are receiving the first instalment of the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme in their October bill. The discount will be automatically applied monthly in six instalments until March 2023.
The important message is you don’t need to do anything or take any action to receive the payments.
This is particularly pertinent after numerous recorded instances of scam calls and texts over the last few weeks.
Ofgem has now issued a warning to energy customers to be aware of such scams and it has also urged suppliers to warn consumers and ensure they remain updated with the latest security information.
The scam encourages customers to follow a link to apply for the discount. While the link may look legitimate, it is designed to steal a customer's private information such as their banking details.
Kenneth Campbell, chairman of the Energy Efficiency Association, said: “Some people are particularly vulnerable at this time and scammers are trying to exploit this. We would urge everyone to ignore these texts or calls and on no account hand over personal details over the phone, by text or online.
“Genuine organisations will not be contacting you about the payments and the Government has made it clear that you don’t need to take any action to receive them.”
If you believe you have been targeted by this scam, do not reply to the text or email. Instead, you should call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use their online form. In Scotland contact Police Scotland directly by calling 101.