Citizens Advice’s annual Scams Awareness Campaign runs from 20th October to 2nd November 2025.
A current scam is a text message or email suggesting you need to ‘sign up’ for your winter fuel allowance this year. This is a scam. The government will not contact you this way regarding your winter fuel allowance.
Scams can and do affect anyone. It might be a scam if:
- it seems too good to be true
- someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly
- you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, there’s no postal address
- you’ve been asked to transfer money quickly
- you’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way
- you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
- you haven’t had written confirmation of what’s been agreed
If you’ve been scammed, there are organisations you should report the scam to. Don’t feel embarrassed. Reporting a scam helps track down and stop scammers.
You can contact Citizen’s Advice’s consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.
Action Fraud can get the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to investigate scams. They’ll also give you a crime reference number. The quickest way to report is via www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime or call them on 0300 123 2040.
If you got a scam text message
Forward the message to 7726. It will go to your phone provider. They’ll investigate who sent the message and might be able to block or ban the sender.
If you got a scam email
Forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk. It will go to the National Cyber Security Centre.
If you need any advice or support, Citizens Advice Central Nottinghamshire are here to help. All of their sessions are drop-in and there is no appointment needed. Find out details on www.ca-centralnotts.org.uk or call 0300 5610330.