Energy bill scam warning over fake gadgets and rebates – how to spot them

HOUSEHOLDS are being warned about energy rebate scams and fake gadgets that claim to save money on your bills.

It comes as millions face rising costs and look to cut back, with a £400 rebate also being dished out this winter to help.

Around 30million households in England, Scotland and Wales are set to get the energy bill discount from this week.

The cash is to arrive in six installments between October and March with the first payment worth £66.

The Sun has seen a scam text message doing the rounds recently, stating: "GOV-UK: Due to the Energy Bill Support Scheme, you are owed £400 under the discounted energy bill."

It then urged the recipient to follow a link to apply for it.

However, it's important to know that the £400 payment will land in bank accounts automatically - you do not have to apply.

You should not give away your personal details to anyone.

If you share this kind of information with scammers, you risk having your personal details and money stolen from you.

Stuart Anderson, MP for Wolverhampton South West, has and warned: "I have been receiving emails from constituents regarding text messages such as the one below.

"If you receive messages such as these, please do not respond as it is a scam."

It comes as Action Fraud earlier this month said it had received 1,567 reports of scam emails about energy rebates in just two weeks in August.

These were purported to be from Ofgem, the energy regulator.

Detective chief inspector Hayley King, from the City of London Police, said: “It is shameful that in a time of financial hardship, criminals are targeting members of the public by claiming they are entitled to receiving rebates and refunds.

“If an email is genuine, the company will never push you into handing over your details."

She urged recipients to always take a moment to consider if the request they've received is genuine.

Meanwhile fraudsters are trying to sell a scam device that claims to save money on your bills.

It goes by several names, including Motex, Voltex and Voltbox and costs £59 to buy online.

But none of the gadgets passed the Which? basic safety test.

They were found to be at risk of causing fire or electric shocks, and there was no evidence that they would save any money at all.

You can get smart plugs that let you monitor energy use of different devices around the home from as little as £8.

But you should always check you are buying from a reputable seller first.

Check the make is genuine and look at reviews from people who have used the device already.

How to protect yourself

There are clear red flags to always keep an eye out for when you get a message you're unsure of.

In the example above, you can see the link isn't from an official government website.

You should also watch out for grammatical mistakes.

If you have any doubts about a text or email asking for personal details, contact the organisation directly.

Action Fraud recommends not using the numbers or addresses in the message. Instead, go to the official website.

It's important to remember your bank (or any other official source) will never ask you to supply personal information via email.

What to do if you've been scammed

You should call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card.

Tell Action Fraud, report it online or by calling 0300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm).

It will tell the police and give you a crime reference number.

Some banks offer automatic refunds – but it does vary.

Current rules say if you have not authorised the payment then you should get a refund as long as you did not act fraudulently or with “gross negligence”, for example, giving away your PIN number or password.

In 2019 some banks, including Barclays, Santander and HSBC, signed a voluntary scam code launched in 2019.

TSB has a fraud refund guarantee in place where it will refund you as long as you are clearly an innocent victim of a con.

Millions of Ovo Energy customers will get the £400 rebate direct into their bank accounts from this weekend.

It comes after the firm announced a £50million support package for its most vulnerable customers on September 1.