Is a request to contact an energy company about an overpayment refund real?
Overpayment refund calls and texts from energy companies are frequently phishing attempts. Verify by logging into your account directly.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
Energy overpayment refund scams arrive by call, SMS, or email and claim your energy account is in credit with a refund waiting. You are directed to a link or number to claim the refund, where you enter card or bank details. Genuine energy company refunds are processed automatically to the direct debit account registered with the supplier — you are not asked to enter card details through a link to receive them. If you believe you are in credit with your energy supplier, check your account balance through your supplier's official app or website.
Energy credit is a clever lure because it is genuinely common — households paying by fixed direct debit often do build up credit across the year, so a message saying you are owed money matches something you half-believe already. The fraudulent version inverts the direction of data flow: instead of money coming to you, your card number, bank login, or personal details go to them. Some phone variants go further, talking you through opening your banking app 'to receive the refund' while actually guiding you to authorise an outbound payment.
The asymmetry to remember is that genuine refunds require nothing from you. Your supplier already knows your payment details — that is how they collect your bills — so any refund process that needs you to re-enter card numbers, log in through a provided link, or act during a phone call is structurally fake. Check your balance through the app or website you already use, and if a refund is genuinely due, request it there in a few clicks. If you gave details to a fake refund contact, tell your bank immediately and watch for follow-up calls that reference the incident to build false credibility.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited contact about an energy refund
- Link to claim the refund does not match your supplier's official domain
- Request for card details to process the refund
- Urgency — refund lapses if not claimed quickly
What to do now
- Log into your energy account directly through the official supplier website or app
- Check your actual credit balance from within your account
- Call your supplier using the number on your bill if you have questions
- Report phishing energy contacts to your national cyber authority
Frequently asked questions
How does a genuine energy refund work?
Real energy refunds are credited to the bank account you pay from or carried forward to reduce your next bill. You are notified in your online account — no external link or card details needed.
Why do these scams focus on energy accounts specifically?
Because credit balances are genuinely common with fixed direct debits, the claim matches what many households already suspect. Plausibility is the lure — the request for your card details to 'receive' money is the giveaway.
A caller wants to guide me through my banking app to process the refund — should I follow?
Never. Receiving money requires nothing from your banking app. Callers who direct you through it are steering you to authorise an outbound payment to themselves. Hang up and call your supplier on the number from your bill.