Think before you click: how to avoid energy scams this winter

Nearly three quarters (72%) of Brits have been targeted by a scam text, email or phone call this year, according to a new poll of 2,000 adults, with the average person being targeted 15 times.

With winter approaching, criminals are exploiting concerns around rising bills, with nearly half (43%) of Brits having received a scam text relating to government support such as the Warm Home Discount.

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off payment of £150 to help low-income households with their energy bills this winter. Households in England and Wales are signed up automatically if they receive eligible benefits, while those in Scotland may need to apply through their energy supplier.

Two-fifths (30%) of those surveyed say they are not confident they would realise that texts, calls or emails that claim they need to take action to access government support are a scam.

The research, commissioned by Smart Energy GB and carried out by Opinion Matters, also shows that nearly two-thirds (61%) of people believe scams are getting harder to spot due to AI-generated calls and texts.

As a result, nearly three quarters (70%) of adults are worried that they, or someone they know, might fall victim to a scam this winter.  

To help raise awareness of these scams, Smart Energy GB has teamed up with consumer champion Dom Littlewood. He said:

“The best way to avoid falling for scams is to always stop, take a breath and by default assume it is a scam, then work backward to make sure its not before doing anything else. Do your research before you click on links or provide any personal details.

“If you get a message asking you to sign up to a scheme like the Warm Home Discount, go directly (not via any links in the message) to the official government website where you’ll be able to find out exactly how it works. If in doubt, double check with a friend, neighbour or family member first, especially if you are not particularly internet savvy, as they may be able to point out signs you may have missed such as a strange looking URL.

“Hover your mouse over the from address in the email and look at what it shows, if its not a direct address to the trusted company delete the message immediately without replying or clicking any links. If you receive a scam text, most phone networks will let you forward it to the National Cyber Security Centre at 7726 (this spells SCAM on your keypad), helping to prevent future scams.”

For those who think they may be eligible for the Warm Home Discount, he added:

“If you’re eligible and a bill paying customer, the Warm Home Discount will be applied automatically to your electricity bill. If you have a smart prepayment meter, the £150 will be added directly to your meter.

“For those with older-style prepayment meters, a voucher will be sent by post, which you’ll need to redeem manually. This new research shows that nearly two-thirds (64%) of people prefer to receive energy bill support like the Warm Homes Discount automatically. That’s one of the reasons why upgrading to a smart prepayment meter can make a real difference – it not only saves you time and effort but also means don’t have to worry about misplacing the letter and missing out.”

Encouragingly, more than half of Brits (51%) who have received a scam text asking them to access government support say they were already on alert due to prior knowledge of this type of scam. Many say they are also put off by suspicious phone numbers (47%), strange links (36%) and spelling mistakes (27%).

The polling also revealed that when Brits do receive a scam message they react negatively, finding them annoying (40%) or even making them angry (26%). Three quarters (75%) of Brits are expecting to receive at least one scam message at some point this winter.

You can check whether you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount and find out more about the scheme on the Gov.UK website.

The scheme runs from the end of October to March and the discount may be applied at any time in this period.

Dom’s top safety tips to avoid scams:

1.         If you receive an unexpected message, by default assume it is a scam and always take your time to think it through. Scammers will often claim you have to act immediately to avoid missing out, so pausing can help keep you safe.

2.         If in doubt, double check. If you think a message looks suspicious, show it to someone you trust and ask for their opinion. They may be able to help spot signs that a message is a scam, such as an incorrect URL or misspelled words.

3.         Understand how energy support schemes work. Once you know that you will receive the Warm Home Discount automatically, then you know any messages asking you to take action are a scam.

4.          If you have a prepay energy meter that you have to top up at the shops, upgrade to a smart prepay meter. Not only will a smart prepay meter ensure you receive support such as the Warm Home Discount automatically, removing any concerns you may have about missing the voucher, it will provide other benefits such as the ability to top up from the comfort of your home.

5.         If you receive a scam message, report it. On most phone networks, you can forward any scam texts you receive to 7726 (this spells SCAM on your keypad) for free and this can help prevent fraud in the future. If you think you have been scammed or have lost money, immediately alert your bank and then contact Action Fraud.