Universal Credit and PIP claimants alerted to vicious scams as benefits targeted | Personal Finance | Finance
Universal Credit and PIP are two of the most common benefits claimed by Britons to assist in everyday life. It is for this reason that unscrupulous fraudsters are hunting for their next victim, targeting many through elaborate scams.
Cifas has now issued an alert that scammers are turning to the benefit system with claimants on their mind.
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment recipients are at particular risk of being scammed.
Con artists are purporting to be from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), as well as other Government departments.
Scam correspondence can differ, preying on people’s vulnerabilities and uncertainties.
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This directly targets people’s concerns regarding the rising cost of living, and could make them more susceptible to falling for a scam.
Fraudsters can be very sophisticated and convincing, so it is vital for individuals to remain on their guard.
If an offer sounds too good to be true, then it probably is, and Britons should not engage with it.
Cifas has urged any individual receiving such offers to follow advice from reputable sources.
They should always create a unique username and password, and never share this with anyone so their account is protected.
In a similar sense, security questions and two-factor authentication can help to keep an account locked from prying eyes.
All claimants are given a 16 digit Personal Security Number (PSN) after their first Universal Credit interview, which they should keep safe.
Finally, Britons can recognise genuine calls due to the fact the DWP will usually leave them a message in their online journal to inform them a call is imminent.
