Government issues warning of scammers posing as energy bill support scheme ‘stay alert!’ | Personal Finance | Finance
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From yesterday, the limit on the price households pay for a unit of gas and electricity has been capped which means that the typical household energy bill should be £2,500 a year. The £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme will also be applied automatically to energy bills from October. The Business and Energy Secretary Jacob Rees Mogg issued a warning yesterday urging people to stay alert to scams”.
In a statement, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “Unprecedented government support is beginning this weekend, protecting families and businesses across the country from what was going to be an 80 percent increase in energy bills this winter.
“I also urge people today to stay alert to scams. This support will reach people automatically and there is no need to apply.”
The first instalment of the £400 discount will take £66 off of a person’s energy bill this month.
People will also receive a £66 reduction on their November bill.
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Between December and March of next year, the discount people will receive will increase slightly to £67.
Direct debit customers will receive the discount automatically, either as a deduction to their monthly direct debit or as a refund to their bank account.
If someone pays on receipt of their bill, the discount will come as a credit to their energy account each month.
Smart prepayment meter customers will also receive the discount automatically each month.
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For prepay customers, people will be sent discount vouchers by text, email or post and they will then need to manually redeem these at the Post Office.
The main point of Mr Rees-Mogg’s warning is that a person’s energy company will do this automatically and people do not need to do anything whatsoever to receive it.
Mr Rees Mogg’s warning comes as it has been reported that scammers are sending out fake text messages pretending to be the Government offering discounts on energy bills.
The fake messages usually tell people they are eligible to apply online for a discounted energy bill as part of the Energy Bill Support Scheme.
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Last month, Action Fraud reported that in just two weeks a total of 1,567 phishing emails had been flagged as scammers posing as Ofgem and using the energy bill rebate scheme as a front.
A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “There is no need to apply for the scheme and the intervention will be applied automatically when your bill is calculated if you are on a standard gas or electricity contract.
“You will not be contacted by the Government or Ofgem asking you to share your bank details in order to benefit.”
Britons are being urged to report any suspected scam message to The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and to Action Fraud.
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