‘Huge' rise in energy scams as fraudsters exploit fear

Households are facing a "huge" jump in energy-related scams as fraudsters exploit fear and confusion around soaring bills, figures show.

Scams mentioning one of the 'big six' energy firms in the first quarter of this year were up 10% on the same period last year,figuresfromActionFraud andreportedbyWhich?show.

January alone saw a 27% year-on-year increase.

Which? said it believed the truefigurewaslikelytobeeven higher,asmanyscamattempts went unreported.

A common scam involves phishing emails in which a fraudster posing as an energy supplier invites the customer to claim a refund due to a miscalculationontheirenergybill, butrequirestherecipienttoreveal their bank details.

The collapse of several small energy firms had also created an atmosphere of confusion around outstanding bills, with scammers utilising uncertaintytoposeasdebtcollection firms, the consumer group warned.

Former customers of Brilliant Energy have reported receivingsophisticatedphishing emails, including their names andknowledgeoftheirformer supplier, more than two years after the company had been wound up.

Customersofdefunctfirms including Solarplicity, Future Energy and Northumbria Energy have been similarly affected.

Fraudsters are also taking advantage of various government grants set up to incentivise take-up of insulation, heat pumps and other products by impersonating legitimate schemes online, via cold calling and even on the doorstep.

Research from Citizens Advice suggests around five million people may have been taken in by paying for services that never materialised.