Increasingly vulnerable householders are facing a “significant” increase in energy scams as the cost-of-living crisis takes hold, Trading Standards has warned. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has issued its “starkest warning yet” about a rise in scams such as fraudulent energy rebate text messages, rogue doorstep sellers and loan sharks preying on the vulnerable.
Some texts or emails ask the recipient to click on a link that takes them to an “official” booking platform where they are asked to submit personal information. However this is a ruse to harvest data and often used to scam the person at a later date.
The CTSI said it also expected scammers to target households in the coming weeks regarding the £150 disability cost of living payment. Households do not need to apply for the rebate as suppliers are automatically applying it to bills for six months from October.
