London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Warning over scam energy bill support messages

Warning over scam energy bill support messages

People are being warned to look out for fake emails and texts claiming to offer discounts on energy bills.

A number of different scams have been circulating, including some that appear to be from the energy regulator Ofgem.

The government has announced that a £400 energy bill discount will be available to all households.

But this will be automatic and people should not give away personal details in order to apply.

Energy bills have been rising sharply - it had been forecast they could reach £4,200 in 2023 - although the government has since said typical household energy bills will be capped at £2,500 annually until 2024.

Ofgem has asked energy suppliers to be clearer on potential customer fraud on their websites.


The messages invite people to apply for the £400 "non-repayable discount" and instruct the recipient to follow a link to a fake Ofgem website to then provide personal details.

It then encourages people to set up a direct debit to receive the money.

An Ofgem spokesperson said protecting consumers is their top priority: "It is alarming that vulnerable customers are being preyed upon in this way when people are already struggling so much.

"On top of issuing our own warnings and advice, we have asked all energy suppliers to ensure clear and up-to-date information on scams is easily accessible on their websites.

"We take these attempts to exploit consumers very seriously."

Sites sending out scam messages that have been identified by the BBC include:

* energy-bill-online.com

* myenergybillonline.com

* rebate-ogem.com

* totalsolutions24-7.co.uk

More than 1,500 reports have been made to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau about scam emails purporting to be from Ofgem about energy rebates.

Detective Chief Inspector Hayley King, from the City of London Police, said: "If an email is genuine, the company will never push you into handing over your details.

"All of the reported emails display the email subject header 'Claim your bill rebate now' and the criminals behind the scam are using the Ofgem logo and colours to make the email appear authentic."


How to protect yourself


The fraud protection service, Cifas, is also warning the public to stay vigilant, and has identified several scams specifically targeting consumers as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

Amber Burridge, Head of Intelligence for Cifas, said: "Criminals are using a variety of ways to target unsuspecting victims in order to steal money and personal information that can be used to commit fraud.

"Remember that no matter how an offer comes to your attention, there are very few occasions where there is a legitimate need to hand over your bank details."

* If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly

* Don't use the numbers or address in the message, use the details from their official website

* Your bank or any other official source will never ask you to supply personal information via email

* If you have received an email which you're not quite sure about, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×