Fraudsters seem like utilizing the price of dwelling disaster as a way of parting Scots with their money - by telling potential victims they've gained cash in direction of their vitality payments.
Persons are receiving textual content messages purporting to be from their vitality firms telling them they have been picked for a money prize.
The messages ask would-be victims to ship on their vitality account quantity, safety particulars like their mom's maiden identify and their financial institution particulars in an effort to declare the "prize".
However in actuality the fraudsters are utilizing the small print to nab money for themselves.
One potential sufferer contacted the File after receiving legitimate-looking textual content messages from Scottish Energy.
Messages showing to come back from the corporate, which is his real vitality supplier, instructed him he had gained a £2,000 prize.
However he turned suspicious when the messages requested for his financial institution particulars - as he pays with a pre-payment card relatively than by Direct Debit.
"The textual content mentioned it got here from Scottish Energy, and had their emblem," he mentioned.
"However I instructed myself that the story with these items is that if they give the impression of being too good to be true they most likely are.
"But when older folks get these texts they may not realise it is a rip-off - and with the best way issues are in the mean time with vitality, individuals are struggling, and they may not suppose."
He reported the textual content to Scottish Energy, which has confirmed it's conscious of the vile apply.
A spokesperson mentioned: “We work laborious to guard our clients’ private info and would by no means ask clients for safety or financial institution particulars by way of textual content message.
"We might urge all clients to be vigilant about guaranteeing any messages claiming to be from ScottishPower are real and to not click on on any hyperlinks offered in the event that they’re involved they might be fraudulent.
"Prospects can test if a ScottishPower hyperlink or e-mail handle is genuine by visiting the devoted part on our web site - https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/authorized/safety/phishing.
"If any buyer suspects they've been a sufferer of fraud, they need to report it to the police.”
Scammy textual content messages may be reported to Ofcom by forwarding them to 7726, freed from cost.
They will also be reported to Recommendation Direct Scotland utilizing their free shopper helpline 0808 164 6000 or by way of their web site at www.consumeradvice.scot.
When you've got misplaced cash or are nervous that you've got given your financial institution particulars to scammers, contact Police Scotland on 101.