A cold caller offered a 'free benefits entitlement review' and now wants my bank details to set up a direct debit - what's going on?

Cold callers offering a 'free' benefits check sometimes operate a legitimate but expensive paid subscription service behind the free offer, where after the initial 'free' review they sign you up, often verbally with minimal clarity, to a recurring monthly charge for ongoing 'benefits maximization' services. Others are outright scams that use the free review as a pretext to obtain your bank account details directly under the guise of setting up a refund or benefit payment, then use those details to set up unauthorized direct debits or make fraudulent transactions.

Genuine, free benefits entitlement checks are widely available from accredited charities, welfare rights services, and official government calculators, and none of these require your bank details to perform a check - a bank account is only relevant once an actual benefit payment is being set up, and only through the official agency itself, not a cold-calling third party.

If you receive a call like this, do not provide bank details over the phone. If you want an entitlement check, contact a recognized, accredited charity or use an official government calculator directly rather than proceeding with an unsolicited caller.