PIP WhatsApp message

I submitted a PIP claim on behalf of a Clt.

They usually get a text saying “we have received your claim and will contact you if we need more information”

My Clt got a WhatsApp message saying they were from the DWP saying “we need more information”

He thought it was a scam so just deleted it.
Same message came straight back, he deleted it again.
Then a final message came through saying “Hi it’s Alison, are you still there”. and yes, he deleted it again.

He then contacted me asking if it was genuine.

So….. my question is, has anybody heard of the DWP/PIP asking for information via WhatsApp?

They definitely use it to push out information e.g. how to apply but it’s subscriber only i.e. you have to find it and sign up.

That said, whilst the DWP software is relatively dumb it’s hardly inconceivable that a claimant will have provided their contact number and the software then pushes a message out which heads to WhatsApp.