Scams & Phishing News Scammers target UK senior citizens with Winter Fuel Payment texts

Gandalf_The_Grey

Level 83
Thread author
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Apr 24, 2016
7,389
As the winter season kicks in, scammers are not missing the chance to target senior British residents with bogus "winter heating allowance" and "cost of living support" scam texts.

The scam campaign is opportunistic given the UK government's recent controversial stance on cutting winter fuel payments from approximately 10 million pensioners across Britain.
Scammers are seen texting British residents this week with bogus "winter heating allowance" texts, prompting them to visit illicit domains that collect personal information and payment information from unsuspecting people.

The development is worrying given the recent news of the UK government making changes to the current Winter Fuel Payments program aimed at helping pensioners born before 23 September 1958 with the costs of keeping their homes warm during the cold season.

Every year, the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides Winter Fuel Payments to assist people of pension age with heating costs. Recently, however, the Government announced plans to reduce the number of people who qualify for this credit—around 1.5 million pensioners, a sharp decline from 11.4 million who received it last year.
 

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top