Cost of living scammers get to work online as gas prices soar

The cost of living crisis which we are currently enduring is bad enough on its own, but what’s worse is that it has opened the way for fraudsters to do their dirty work.

With gas and electricity prices soaring, energy is a particularly rich area for attack and police say that energy-related scams in the first quarter of this year were 10 per cent higher than in 2021.

The consumer rights organisation points out that the government has introduced several grants and discount schemes to help the average user and it is there the scammers see an opportunity.

Others offer the lure of getting money back. One customer received an email purportedly from one of the big power suppliers stating that “an error in our billing procedure resulted in an overcharge of £85.

It urged the consumer to click on a dodgy link, and then enter his banking details.

Energy providers already have customers’ banking details and would never ask for them online.

Another technique is for scammers to pose as debt collectors in order to exploit the billing confusion that followed the collapse of many smaller energy companies in recent years.

But it is not just emails and text messages. Scammers are even turning up on people’s doorsteps and impersonating legitimate schemes set up by government to assist the hard-pressed.

How do you know when you are being targeted?

One of the biggest clues is if you are asked to pay by bank transfer, which is one of the least protected and least reversible methods of payment and should be avoided at all costs.

When it comes to making payment, using your credit card, particularly for large sums, or your debit card will ensure you get the most protection if something should go wrong.

A major part of the success of many scams is to make a person feel he or she is missing out on something unless they act quickly.

No matter what the situation, it is worth taking five minutes to think about whether a you are being targeted by a patsy.

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A new report has revealed that some 57 per cent of the student body across 80 UK universities have experienced mental health difficulties, including the effect of the Covid pandemic.

Elie McNicol, aged 21, said her biggest struggle was loneliness when lessons were held online. “Not being able to meet the people on your course or other people around you, the social aspect was taken away for a year and a half,” she said.

“Lots of the teaching was online and freshers’ week was, too. It was difficult meeting people and we were stuck in our flat bubbles. That affected me more than anything.”

The survey of 7,200 students by the charity, Humen, concluded that universities needed immediate improvements so that students could get the mental, health care they need. Only 4 per cent of staff received adequate training.