Yahoo News WASPI issues new State Pension compensation warning to women as fake forms appear online
The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign has issued a warning to those affected by changes to the State Pension age, urging them not to fall for a "deeply concerning" surge in counterfeit compensation claim forms appearing online. WASPI has noted that several unofficial websites have cropped up recently, falsely promising those hit by abrupt State Pension age increases can claim up to £2,950, depending on their circumstances.
Campaigners have highlighted that these websites, seemingly originating from outside the UK, are falsely claiming that women born in the 1950s can secure payouts by submitting compensation forms. However, these sites have no connection to any compensation suggestions made by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's (PHSO) final report released in March.
The PHSO suggested compensation equivalent to Level 4 on its banding scale - between £1,000 and £2,950, which may lead some women to believe the scams are legitimate as it's the same figure quoted on the websites.
Any announcement of a compensation scheme for WASPI women will only be made by the next UK Government. Progress on a planned timetable to deliver any redress has been delayed due to the General Election.
Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign, stated: "It is deeply concerning that a number of webpages have appeared in recent days, encouraging those impacted by State Pension age changes to provide their personal details through fake claim forms.", reports the Daily Record.
"The need for compensation is so urgent that it is the most vulnerable women who are most at risk and the government's continued dithering is now opening up a space for scammers to target them."
"Any official announcement on compensation will be made by the UK Government. Anybody who has given their personal data to a potentially fraudulent website should contact Action Fraud."
Those who may have fallen victim to scams in Scotland are advised to contact Police Scotland on 101. Over 3.6 million women born in the 1950s were impacted when the UK Government failed to adequately communicate increases to their State Pension age.
The individuals most affected received only 18 months' notice of a six-year increase to their State Pension age, leading WSAPI to claim that tens of thousands were thrust into poverty.
Both Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have been called upon to support WASPI's demands for swift and fair compensation.
