According to a survey conducted by the Citizens Advice Bureau in 2021, more than 19 million adults in the UK had been targeted by a ‘Green Scam’ in the period between 2020-2021.
What is a Green Scam?
A green scam, also known as green fraud or environmental fraud, refers to any activity that misrepresents the environmental benefits from a product or service. This can also be a person pretending to be from an energy company, the government, the local authority, or industry regulators to attempt to get hold of personal information and bank details.
How do Green Scammers get in contact?
The most common methods that scammers get in touch with potential victims is usually by phone or email. However sometimes they will cold call residents at home or send texts and WhatsApp messages.
What are the Scammers claiming to offer?
There are several common offers or tactics that scammers use to attempt to gain access to residents’ personal information. One method that scammers use on a frequent basis is to tell residents that a part of their home is unsafe and must be remedied immediately for the safety of the residents and the property itself.
The Energy Advice Trust also noted that scammers were also claiming to offer the government’s £400 government energy bill rebate also known as the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The support ended for most households in March 2023. The fraudsters are tricking people into handing over their bank details whereas the genuine scheme the payments would have come directly from the household’s energy supplier. The scammers have also claimed to be offering extra support payments for people of pension age or people with disabilities.
The scam artists also have claimed to be offering free surveys for energy efficiency measures in conjunction with a government grant or a scheme regulated by Ofgem such as ECO 4 or HUG 2.
Top tips to avoid being scammed.
There have been a numberof reports of scammers targetting homes claiming to be able to improve energy efficiency. Please stick to the following tips to stay safe from scam artists:
- Be suspicious- This is particularly relevant if a person or organisation contacts you out of the blue or exerts pressure to get you to agree to the work. Some scammers also change what the grant offers to suit the residents’ requests, such as initially offering cavity wall insulation as part of a grant and then switching to offering measures such as solar panels.
- Research- Look at the website of the company or scheme being offered. To check legitimacy it is safer to look at mutiple websites and other sources of information to confirm their legitmacy.
- Look up phone numbers- if it is a number that has been associated with scam activity it is likely it has been flagged on websites such as 'Who's Calling me'.
- Private work- Look for a trader accreditation from known bodies. The government endorsed quality scheme Trustmark is a good place to start when looking for reputable contractors.
- Paying for works privately- make sure you pay with a secure method such as a credit card or paypal. Avoid paying with cash as it cannot be traced easily.
- Be wary of any links sent via email or SMS messages- particularly if you are unsure of the sender. These emails and texts can be a form of phishing. The link can set off a download a malware file which is potentially capable of harvesting your personal information stored on the device. This information can include credit card numbers, passwords, bank account numbers, usernames and other personal identifying information.
- If in doubt, contact Action Surrey- If you are unsure about a company or person, especially those claiming to offer government funding please contact us and double check.
What to do if you think you have been scammed?
If you think you might have been scammed, contact your bank or credit card company immediately if you have handed over any of your banking details or card information. You can also report the incident to your local Citizen Advice Bureau and Action Fraud.
Helpful Links and further information
Action Fraud- National Fraud & Cyber Reporting Centre