London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 22, 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
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×