New DWP warning for Brits on state pension, PIP, Universal Credit and more (Image: Getty)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a new warning to claimants to be aware of fraudsters attempting to steal financial details through texts.
Criminals are targetting those who receive benefits, such as the , Personal Independence Payment (), and , by sending fraudulent messages that appear to be from the .
In a recent post shared on social media platform X, the wrote: “Be aware of scam text messages claiming to be from @dwpgovuk.
“Always be careful about links and never share personal or financial details. Only engage with trusted official sources.”
The then urged people to report “suspicious messages” to Action Fraud or report it to , .
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DWP benefit claimants are being urged to “beware” of scam texts (Image: Getty)
Christmas is a common time for scams to ramp up, as fraudsters take advantage of the busy festive period to target unsuspecting individuals.
Impersonation scams, where criminals pose as trusted organisations like the , are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using convincing messages and official-looking formats to deceive victims.
Following the Government’s decision to limit Winter Fuel Allowance support to those on means-tested benefits, .
Posing as the “UK Government Living Allowance Office,” the scam attempts to lure recipients with promises of a fake winter heating subsidy.
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The scam includes a link in the message leading to a fraudulent website designed to mimic official government pages, tricking victims into revealing sensitive information.
Bryn Thompson, a representative at Phonely, the platform that was alerted of the Winter Fuel Allowance scam, warned: “We urge people to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited messages, especially those claiming to be from Government bodies.
“Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to trick individuals into providing personal information or clicking on malicious links. It’s important to verify the legitimacy of these messages and never act hastily.”
The official UK Government website offers guidelines on how to identify potential scams. It urged people to look out for the following signs when receiving unsolicited contact:
- The message rushes you to act immediately.
- It is threatening in tone.
- It is unexpected or unsolicited.
- It asks for personal information, such as bank details.
- It asks you to transfer money.
- It offers a refund, tax rebate, or grant unexpectedly.