Warning to Worcestershire residents amidst new scam relating to Government's £150 energy rebate - The Droitwich Standard

Warning to Worcestershire residents amidst new scam relating to Government's £150 energy rebate

Droitwich Editorial 1st May, 2022   0

RESIDENTS across Worcestershire are being warned about a new scam where cold callers pretend to be helping people claim the Government’s £150 energy rebate.

The advice comes from Worcestershire County Council’s Trading Standards officers following warnings from the Local Government Association which has found criminals contacting people for their bank details, claiming they need them so the recipient can get the Government’s energy rebate.

The rebate was announced earlier this year to help people with the rising cost of energy bills.

Payments are being administered by local authorities for all households in council tax bands A to D but residents are being reminded councils will not ask for bank details over the phone.




Simon Wilkes, head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services said, “We’ve not had any reports of this locally yet, but people will need to be on their guard.

“Telephone scams have become more sophisticated during the pandemic and, as our colleagues at the LGA have said, people of all ages need to be on their guard for this type of approach.”


All households who choose to pay their council tax by direct debit will receive the payment directly into their bank account.

Anyone who does not pay their council tax by direct debit will be sent a letter with details of how to claim their rebate.

The coronavirus pandemic saw an increase in scams, including an HMRC payment to support individuals during the lockdown and offers of a vaccination booking for a fee even though the Covid jab was free.

Public Notices

View and download all of the public notices in the Droitwich Standard.

Buy Photos

Buy photos online from the Droitwich Standard newspaper.

Advertising

Advertise with the Droitwich Standard to reach your audience

Subscribe

Receive a weekly update to your inbox by signing up to our weekly newsletter.