Warning: SCAM text re "DWP: winter heating payment"

I got one of these last week - the previous week I witnessed an elderly lady in the clinic for spinal injuries, having entered all her personal and banking details asking a nurse how to find her 3 digit number from the back of her card, if she physically didn’t have the card with her! She clicked submit before either the nurse or I could stop her by saying “it’s a scam, the government already has your bank details from making your Pension payments “. I had to go into my appointment but when I came out found the nurse comforting the distressed lady whilst a colleague was on a phone contacting her bank. Thank goodness she was in clinic as if she had been at home on her own the scammers would have been emptying her account. She panicked and filled in the form because the Scam message said that the deadline was the next day.
There needs to be more publicity about this scheme not needing to be applied for and that the government would never send a text message asking for your bank account details. If you’re eligible you will already be receiving a State Pension or Disability Benefit!
Please spread the word amongst older family and friends.

I had a txt message also on the 7th of October saying I had to apply no later than the 7th oct
I thought this was strange because I normally get my winter payment automatically
Between 100 and 300 it said
I filled in my name email and then it asked for bank details saying it would take £1 to confirm my details but then return the £1
It was at this point I suspected this was scam thank goodness
I reported it straight away to my service provider
If it hadn’t of asked for bank details I wouldn’t of suspected anything
Thankfully no harm done

These scams need putting on the news warning people
Vulnerable and elderly folks are going to fall for these these scams
I almost fell for the winter payment one but stopped as soon as it asked for bank details thank goodness