× Search rightsnet
Search options

Where

Benefit

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction

From

to

Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Other benefit issues  →  Thread

‘Please change your payment account’ letter being sent to Post Office card account users

Tom B (WRAMAS)
forum member

WRAMAS - Bristol City Council

Send message

Total Posts: 454

Joined: 7 January 2013

Not seen this letter before so thought I would post…

Strange that gov.uk still promotes Post Office card accounts to benefit claimants!

File Attachments

Jon (CANY)
forum member

Welfare benefits - Craven CAB, North Yorkshire

Send message

Total Posts: 1362

Joined: 16 June 2010

Hmmm .. an unsolicited letter asking me ring in and provide my bank details? I don’t think so.

John Birks
forum member

Welfare Rights and Debt Advice - Stockport Council

Send message

Total Posts: 1064

Joined: 16 June 2010

Just a reminder from news published 16 December 2014.

A new £250 million 7 year contract, which will protect a key service for vulnerable pensioners and benefit claimants as well as help safeguard the future of the Post Office network, has been agreed by the government.

DWP Minister Steve Webb has announced in Parliament today the signing of a new deal with Post Office Limited to ensure the Post Office Card Account remains available until at least November 2021. The service was previously due to be withdrawn in March 2015.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/post-office-service-for-pensioners-and-benefit-claimants-to-be-safeguarded-with-new-government-contract

Rosie W
forum member

Welfare rights service - Northumberland County Council

Send message

Total Posts: 470

Joined: 9 February 2012

I rang the number on the letter - it is genuine and it is DWP Payments that reply.

Apparently they’re just contacting people now because they would “like” everyone to have a bank etc. account and you have to have one for UC and (of course) it’s about getting people “job ready”.

But it’s not compulsory. I certainly don’t get that from the wording of the letter. Yet another thing to send vulnerable claimants into a panic.

Jon (CANY)
forum member

Welfare benefits - Craven CAB, North Yorkshire

Send message

Total Posts: 1362

Joined: 16 June 2010

How do you know it’s genuine? :D

Seriously, it’s a letter asking customers to ring a number which (as far as I can see?) can not be verified on the official website, and hand over bank details. If the banks themselves did this sort of thing they would get told off for bad practice.

Elliot Kent
forum member

Shelter

Send message

Total Posts: 3117

Joined: 14 July 2014

Perhaps I’m lacking imagination but if I were setting up a scam letter, I wouldn’t include a pre-paid envelope giving an address which directs to a government owned mail warehouse… I can see that ending badly.

John Birks
forum member

Welfare Rights and Debt Advice - Stockport Council

Send message

Total Posts: 1064

Joined: 16 June 2010

Elliot Kent - 22 January 2016 11:12 AM

Perhaps I’m lacking imagination but if I were setting up a scam letter, I wouldn’t include a pre-paid envelope giving an address which directs to a government owned mail warehouse… I can see that ending badly.

Favourited/Liked.

John Birks
forum member

Welfare Rights and Debt Advice - Stockport Council

Send message

Total Posts: 1064

Joined: 16 June 2010

Jon (CHDCA) - 22 January 2016 11:06 AM

How do you know it’s genuine? :D

Seriously, it’s a letter asking customers to ring a number which (as far as I can see?) can not be verified on the official website, and hand over bank details. If the banks themselves did this sort of thing they would get told off for bad practice.

Bank details are routinely given over the telephone.

Your suggestion is what?

 

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
forum member

Information and advice resources - Age UK

Send message

Total Posts: 3196

Joined: 7 January 2016

It really doesn’t take too much imagination to understand why people should be on their guard.

Pension scams: Letter from the DWP turned out to be a fake

Rosie W
forum member

Welfare rights service - Northumberland County Council

Send message

Total Posts: 470

Joined: 9 February 2012

Jon (CHDCA) - 22 January 2016 11:06 AM

How do you know it’s genuine? :D

It was the DWPspeak that gave it away..

Elliot Kent
forum member

Shelter

Send message

Total Posts: 3117

Joined: 14 July 2014

Rosie W - 22 January 2016 11:44 AM
Jon (CHDCA) - 22 January 2016 11:06 AM

How do you know it’s genuine? :D

It was the DWPspeak that gave it away..

Agreed, the machine voice that answers the phone is very familiar too.

In all seriousness though, I would still probably encourage people - if they are going to change accounts - to just use the regular numbers they were given when they claimed.  Same outcome but it at least avoids one unknown quantity.

Jon (CANY)
forum member

Welfare benefits - Craven CAB, North Yorkshire

Send message

Total Posts: 1362

Joined: 16 June 2010

John Birks - 22 January 2016 11:18 AM
Jon (CHDCA) - 22 January 2016 11:06 AM

How do you know it’s genuine? :D

Seriously, it’s a letter asking customers to ring a number which (as far as I can see?) can not be verified on the official website, and hand over bank details. If the banks themselves did this sort of thing they would get told off for bad practice.

Bank details are routinely given over the telephone.

Your suggestion is what?

 

Using a number which is also listed on the website would help. I’m not saying this is particular letter is a scam, I am saying that this approach to handling account info by HMG is sending the wrong message.

There is a reason that things like this are needed:
http://www.barclays.co.uk/telephone-number-checker

AdviceShop
forum member

Advice shop - West Lothian Council

Send message

Total Posts: 85

Joined: 24 June 2010

A quick check online does confirm the number is genuine.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/17992/response/63811/attach/3/cross info.doc