Cost of living payments are sent out automatically to eligible claimants and there’s no need to do anything to receive them
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has warned families about scammers who are preying on hard-up families awaiting news about their next cost of living payments.
The fraudsters are sending text messages to mobile phones saying that the receiver is eligible for a £750 "Living Payment". The message then asks the reader to "take action" and click the link in the message in order to accept the payment. However the website unsuspecting recipients land on after they have clicked the link will ask for personal information such as their name, address, and even bank details.
And the DWP has warned anyone receiving the message to ignore it, as following the instructions would put the recipient at risk from the scammers.
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The website behind the link has no relation with the DWP and if you share details, the scammers could use the information for further scams against you or even steal money.
The full text message to watch out for reads: "GOV: The £750.00 (GBP) Living Payment is ready, take action by accepting the payment via legalaid.income-division.com".
A DWP said the cost of living payments are sent out automatically to those who are eligible and you do not need to make a claim for them. “All Cost of Living payments are sent out automatically and directly to those eligible, and customers do not need to apply or contact the Government at any stage," they said. "If you have had a message asking you to apply, accept or contact someone about the payment, this might be a scam.”
The DWP also reiterated that it would never ask for personal information by SMS or by email and urged those who receive this text message to forward it – for free – to 7726, to report it to your mobile phone provider.
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What to do if you think you have been victim to a scam

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