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‘Please change your payment account’ letter being sent to Post Office card account users
Hmmm .. an unsolicited letter asking me ring in and provide my bank details? I don’t think so.
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 The service was previously due to be withdrawn in March 2015.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
It really doesn’t take too much imagination to understand why people should be on their guard.
How do you know it’s genuine? :D
It was the DWPspeak that gave it away..
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.
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
A quick check online does confirm the number is genuine.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/17992/response/63811/attach/3/cross info.doc