Nearly 700,000 Scots eligible for a new cost of living payment have been warned to be aware of scams.
A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) package of £324 is to land in the bank accounts of around 689,000 people today.
The payment will go directly into the accounts of those on means-tested benefits – there is no need to fill out an application form.
Advice Direct Scotland is worried scammers will take this automatic payment as an opportunity to take advantage of those who are eligible for it.
As a result, it has issued a warning to recipients of the DWP package not to respond to texts of emails which claim to have come from the service.
Conor Forbes, director of policy with Advice Direct Scotland, said: “Hundreds of thousands of Scots households will start receiving the cost of living support payment, and it’s vital to remember that this will happen automatically.
“Sadly, we know that scammers have repeatedly tried to capitalise on the cost-of-living crisis, so people should be alert to emails and texts asking for personal information in relation to the payments – the DWP will not do this.”
Anyone who suspects they have come across a scam should contact Advice Direct Scotland’s scamwatch service and report it.
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