Pensioners warned about scam texts professing to offer “winter fuel subsidy payments”
People are being urged to look out for fraudulent text messages preying on pensioners professing to offer “Winter fuel subsidy payments.”
The texts are taking advantage of a recent decision by the government to remove the payments, which provide money for pensioners during winter when the temperature drops below a certain amount.
The removal of the benefit was highly controversial, but the government has insisted “tough decisions” need to be taken on spending.
The texts claim to offer a “Winter Heating Subsidy Office“, but no such office in fact exists.
The +370 country code on the number provided in this screenshot to SGM, in fact originates from Lithuania in Eastern Europe.
With it comes a false link which the recipient is directed to in order to “apply”, in reality this is likely to be a phishing link designed to steal bank and credit card information.
Families are thus urged to watch out to protect pensioners who may be vulnerable or less tech savvy.
