Are they being genuine or am I being paranoid?

Bobby2

I've recently had a phone call from the DWP asking if, between 2012 and 2015, I had more than £16000 in savings. At the time I was receiving contribution based ESA, having been medically retired in 2010.. They said they wanted to see if at the time I would have been entitled to income based ESA. Maybe I'm a little cynical when it comes to DWP as they don't often call to possibly give you money. Why would it have taken all this time to query this? Are they being genuine or am I being paranoid?

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Bobby2

ok, thanks. I think it was definitely DWP as I did ring them back on their number which is on google and they had a record of who spoke to me. They are going to send me out a form anyway, it was more I didn't trust their reasons for asking me, not that I have anything to hide!!

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Yadnad

On balance I would say that it is a genuine call.

They are trying to establish if when claiming Contribution based ESA you may well have been entitled to some Income based (means tested) ESA as well.

susan48

Victoriad said:

Just to be on the extra safe side.....look at your past ESA correspondence and use those phone numbers to get back in touch.

Reason being.....there are even scam HMRC ,eaters and calls doing the rounds.....it’s not being paranoid it’s called taking good precautions against identity theft.

Iv had 2 HMRC calls saying I’m being investigated blah blah, called them and it is a scam.

Bobby2

Thanks for your responses. I shall await the promised letter and if it doesn't arrive I'll know it's a scam!!

whistles

Sounds genuine. 
But I don't answer the phone to unknown numbers so they would need to write. 
Strangely, they should know what your savings were- you fill ask that in don't you?
It's about what your contributions were and you can be topped up with IR. 

Actually saying that when I did get a letter to check I was getting the correct money I felt it was a scam as well.  Almost didn't the chap in!

Bobby2

Yes, I think it is genuine it was their motive for ringing that I was wondering about.  When i received the first phone call it was a 0800 number, I did ring back but it said something like sorry we missed you we will ring again. Will be lovely if they owe me money -))