‘Living allowance’ text and ‘UC App’ scams warnings

Details: Published: 18 October 2024

Claimants are being warned that scammers are targeting them as bogus texts and links are being increasingly widely circulated.

The living allowance text claims to be from the “UK Government Living Allowance Office”. It plays on the fact that millions of pensioners will be very worried about no longer being eligible for a winter fuel allowance and appears to offer an alternative.

The text reads:

“UK Government Living Allowance Office Last Time Reminder: Due to the reduction of winter heating subsidy, you can no longer receive it, and the uk government has decided to advance the living subsidy to allow you to survive the winter.

“We will reopen applications. Please apply for your living subsidy in the link as soon as possible after receiving the information. If you do not submit an application before 2024/10/15, we will cancel your qualification and reallocate the funds.

“Thank you for your support to the UK Government”

If you receive such a text, do not click on the link and do not respond in any way.

If you have clicked on the link or given any details, contact your bank.

Meanwhile Citizens Advice are warning people to beware of a scam UC app called “Universal Credit UK”, which is targeted on people worried or confused by the UC claims process, especially with managed migration in the news at the moment. Citizens Advice say that the DWP is investigating the app and warns people not to respond to any suspicious text messages.

The app is still available on the Apple Store, which lists the developers address as Benin City in Nigeria.

Anyone who has given information to the scam should report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

A quick web search reveals a number of other UC apps available for use on Android phones, but none of them are in any way connected with the DWP.

Citizens Advice warns “People should use only the DWP Universal Credit website, and if you are unsure how to claim, the Citizens Advice Help To Claim service can offer support on 0800 144 8 444.”

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Up The Mariners · 3 days ago
Apparently I'm going to get 900 Euros 😁
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Citizen B · 6 days ago
Another version of this fake text. Mind the spelling and grammatical errors as well as the incorrect title of the office:

DWP Benefits Office Reminder：
This round of living expenses , issued by the to citizens, is available for uk nationals. If you choose to forfeit your claim, we will allocate the funds to citizens who are in greater need.
We will close the application channel on October 26, 2024. If you need it, please apply in the link. [link removed] Thank you for supporting the Home DPW Benefits Office.
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JulieT · 7 days ago
A family member has received a similar kind of text twice today, but the one he received was phrased as follows:

"
A cost-of-living support scheme is currently being implemented by the state, which includes a one-off payment to every citizen living in the UK. These payments are designed to support you through current increases in the cost of living. We will close the application channel on October 25th 2024. If you need it, please apply in the link."
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  Karen · 6 days ago
  
  @JulieT I had one like your family friend today but say reply by tomorrow's date 29/10/2024. .thats why l now always check text messages,l never reply or open them up the last 4 numbers are 4011 o mine ,l blocked the number 😒
  
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Mark Edwards · 8 days ago
Yes I also had one of those texts. Obviously ignored it.
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D Blake · 8 days ago
You should also Forward the text to the 'short code' number 7726 and, if available, send the number the text was sent From to the same 'short code' number. If Forward is not available, Copy & Paste the text into a new message and send it to the same 'short code'.
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CaroA · 9 days ago
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/people-pip-dla-attendance-allowance-30195144

Could be good news for help with energy bills but will this service also include a DWP "advisor" arriving on our doorsteps alongside the energy assessment company worker - whilst we're assessing your homes energy usage we can check up on how much you've got as well? Maybe they could also accompany Amazon delivery drivers too? Sort of joke.... but it's hard to trust the whole system now.
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  lesley · 9 days ago
  
  @CaroA Wheel 'em all in I say. They are more than welcome to come to my home. I shall show them and tell them how it really is!
  
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Eloise · 12 days ago
Interesting comment in the Times about Kendall:

" Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, spent weeks trying to cancel welfare cuts pencilled in by the Tories, even though Reeves was never likely to find the £1.3 billion needed.

The cuts remain in the Treasury scorecard, even as Kendall and her ministers insist they can find a way round them"
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Dee white · 13 days ago
I've just had to advise a woman who's in a universal credit Facebook group that there is no such thing as an app for universal credit, but she was adamant there is and screenshoted it to show me ,i kept telling her it's a scam but hey , you can take a horse to water but can't make it drink 🤷
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  Dee white · 9 days ago
  
  @TD I did and she wouldn't comment back and now the admin of the group has turned comments off. On well I tried
  
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  TD · 10 days ago
  
  @Dee white
  paste into a reply her the link to this thread:
  
  https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/%E2%80%98living-allowance%E2%80%99-text-and-%E2%80%98uc-app%E2%80%99-scams-warnings
  
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Lianne Morgan · 13 days ago
I got one today also, they must have access to my number and address already but clearly not my bank otherwise they wouldn't be asking. How do slammers like these get my number
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  Chris L · 10 days ago
  
  @Lianne Morgan I use to work for a less than reputable energy broker. They used to buy numbers in bulk from a huge data base and give to us to cold call people. I should these scammers pay to use or steal from the same data base.
  
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darinfan · 13 days ago
I got the living allowance one today. How do they know the right people to contact? Does this mean they have access to a list of who is on benefits?
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  Boogz · 12 days ago
  
  @darinfan They probably don't. Just a mass text to thousands of numbers at a time in the hopes that it would apply to a few hundred and some may fall for it.
  
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anees292 · 13 days ago
Thank you Admin
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