Lloyds Bank has issued an urgent warning about a scam in which fraudsters pose as British Gas to steal personal and payment details. The fake emails claim that a direct debit payment has failed and threaten to cut off the victim's energy supply unless they click a link to update their details.
The bank warned that the link leads to a fraudulent website designed to harvest sensitive information. The scam comes as millions of UK households face soaring energy bills, with the price cap set at £2,500 per year from October 1.
Lloyds advised customers not to open suspicious emails, check the sender's address, and avoid clicking on links or attachments. Spelling errors in the email may also indicate it is not genuine. Anyone unsure should contact their energy supplier directly using official website details.
The bank's warning follows similar alerts from other financial institutions as scammers exploit the cost-of-living crisis. Customers are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious messages to their bank and Action Fraud.
