Martin Lewis issues warning to Waspi women over new scam

Money expert Martin Lewis has warned women affected by state pension changes to “be incredibly careful” as scammers using his name encourage them to hand over personal information.

Several fraudulent websites are now claiming that compensation is available for these women, Waspi campaigners say. This is despite work and pensions minister Liz Kendall explicitly ruling out a government-backed compensation scheme in December, disregarding a recommendation from an independent watchdog to do so.

Standing for ‘Women Against State Pension Inequality,’ the campaign group advocates for support for women who were born in the 1950s and say they did not get adequate warnings about changes to the state pension.

The bogus websites are requesting personal details from 1950s-born women, make the false claim that a compensation scheme has been announced, or even try to give the impression that they are connected with Mr Lewis.

Waspi said that one woman in Derbyshire reported that she had been asked to provide copies of her birth certificate and bank details through an online form, before realising it was a scam.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, said: “The word scammers underplays the danger, of what are often organised criminal gangs using psychologically adept tactics to steal from people.”

He added: “Even if they’re not asking for money, they could be trying to take your information as part of a wider fraud.

“Be incredibly careful, don’t click advertising or other links on social media, unless it is from a validated trusted source.

“And to be very plain, I don’t do adverts nor allow anyone to use my name for endorsements. All my information will always be on my site MoneySavingExpert.com, so if you can’t find it there, and see it elsewhere, it’s very likely a scam.”

Waspi chairwoman Angela Madden said: “Waspi has fielded dozens of queries from women following an alarming spike in fraudulent websites appearing in recent days.

“The need for compensation is so urgent that it is the most vulnerable women who are at risk from scammers. The behaviour of opportunists who seek to exploit them is nothing short of disgraceful.”

She suggested that people contact Action Fraud if they have shared sensitive information or feel they are at risk.

Those who are worried they may have been scammed should also contact their bank or building society. Many banks have signed up to the 159 service, which enables people who are worried about scams to get through to their provider on an easy-to-remember number.

Fran McSweeney, head of services at Independent Age, said: “While scams can be very sophisticated, there are things people can do to protect themselves.

“Never be rushed into sharing personal details out of the blue and contact your bank if you think you’ve been tricked into revealing any of your banking details. If what you’re told sounds unlikely or too good to be true, it probably is.”

Waspi is seeking a judicial review to force the Government to reconsider its decision to rule out a compensation package for women affected by the way changes to the state pension age were communicated.

A previous report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PSHO) suggested compensation ranging between £1,000 and £2,950 could be appropriate for each of those affected.

But in December 2024, the Government said that, while it accepted the ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and apologised for there being a delay in writing to 1950s-born women, a blanket compensation scheme, which could cost taxpayers up to £10.5 billion, cannot be justified.