Winter Payment Scam Warning

14th November 2024

Highland Council Trading Standards are urging residents to be aware of a winter payment scam text aimed at tricking people into thinking they have to act quickly or miss out on a winter payment.

The text refers to your last round of winter heating allowance and gives a deadline that is very close. It asks you to click on a link and provide personal information, even stating if you don't respond any monies due to you will go to someone else. If you click on the link it takes you to a fake GOV.UK webpage asking for £1 as a test payment and your payment card details.

Highland Council Trading Standards Team Leader, Mark McGinty, states: "This is yet another text worded in such a way as to escalate pressure on the reader to act quickly or miss out. I’d urge anyone who receives such a text to just take a moment to think about it. Ask yourself about your Inverness Winter Payment and how you would normally receive these, the texts are sent to any mobile telephone number and not just those entitled to the payment."

Mr McGinty adds: “If you are suspicious at all, don't click on any links or give out any personal or bank details. Suspicious texts can be reported to mobile providers on 7726, this allows them to identify scam texts and block the numbers they use. Also make your friends and family aware, you will not be the only person to be sent this.”

Sheila Armstrong, Chief Officer Revenues and Commercialisation, Highland Council adds: “We are aware these texts have been sent to various people. This is not how the Highland Council contacts customers regarding Inverness Winter Payments. We do not send texts for this purpose. Our advice is to ignore any texts asking for information relating to Inverness Winter Payments and to block the caller ID. The Highland Council is currently assessing customers who previously qualified for this payment and will contact them by letter if we believe they have an entitlement to a payment this year. The Highland Council Inverness Winter Payment scheme opens for new applicants on 1st December 2024”

Scam calls can be reported to Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or by visiting www.consumeradvice.scot

If you think you may have lost money in a scam, report it to Police Scotland on 101.