Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice issue urgent guidance on protecting yourself from energy bill scams

The charity have shared how to easily spot a scam

Adur and Chichester Citizens Advice have issued urgent guidance on protecting yourself from energy bill scams. 

Warning locals about scammers who "prey on your worries about energy bills", Citizens Advice shared useful tips on how to recognise if something is a scam. Pointers include "asks you to fill out a survey" and "asks for a large deposit before you switch supplier". 

In a tweet today, the charity told people to look out for scams "especially about the energy support scheme". They added that to receive the £400 discount, "you won't need to apply or give any personal details".

To check the signs of a scam message, Citizens Advice said: "If a company says they can help you switch energy supplier and asks for your bank details, it’s likely to be a scam.

"You should only give your bank details to your new supplier if you want to pay by direct debit."

Other warning signs include saying "you agreed to switch to them when you didn't" and "offers you a discount on your energy bill if you give them personal information". 

The charity continued: "If the company says you owe a lot of money and threatens to cut off your supply if you don’t pay, it’s likely to be a scam. You should contact your supplier if you think you owe them money."

Companies that claim "you can get money from the government towards solar panels or insulation" or say that "their product will make your solar panels more efficient" are also on the list of potential scams.

They also advise to double check any messages saying you're eligible for a government grant using the Simple Energy Advice site

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