By Isle of Wight Observer
Trading Standards officers are warning Islanders to remain vigilant after a series of new scams have been reported locally.
One scam involves phone calls from fraudsters claiming to be from EE, attempting to obtain personal account details. Residents are reminded that genuine providers will not make unsolicited calls of this nature. If in doubt, hang up and contact your provider directly to verify.
Another scam arrives by text message, pretending to be from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It pressures people into making a claim for the Winter Heating Allowance and threatens that failure to click a link will make them ineligible. This is false, the Winter Heating Allowance is paid automatically, and you should never click on suspicious links.
An email scam has also been circulating, purporting to be from the DVLA. It falsely claims a vehicle does not have valid tax and urges immediate payment via a link. Residents should check the sender’s email address, genuine government emails end with .gov.uk.
Finally, some Islanders have reported threatening messages claiming their devices have been hacked with spyware such as “Pegasus”. These demand cryptocurrency ransoms and threaten to release fabricated compromising videos. Trading Standards says these are fraudulent scare tactics, victims should not respond or send money. Instead, forward such emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Residents are urged to stay alert, question unexpected messages, and seek trusted advice if unsure.