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23 Feb 2013's MoneyBox BBC Radio 4 Programme continued to discuss the great Pension Liberation Scam with the Minister responsible for pensions, Steve Webb. Listen to the grilling Webb gets and how little the government is doing despite the £4 million a week being scammed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qspjg PENSION UNLOCKING
For the third week we return to the growing crime of persuading people to transfer their pension savings into recently registered pension schemes and taking huge fees for illegally letting them have some of their money back. This week - the legal aspects. Is the law adequate to help trustees stop the transfer when they suspect a scam? And if not, will the Government pass new laws to protect desperate people from the crooks - and themselves? We speak to a pensions lawyer and Pensions Minister Steve Webb.

PDF Tapescript:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/program ... x_23_feb_13.pdf

MP3 Audio:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/mo ... 30223-1204a.mp3

Related Links:
Action Fraud: Reporting Pension Liberation Scams:  www.actionfraud.police.uk
The FSA: Consumers warned over pension liberation schemes www.fsa.gov.uk
The Pensions Regulator: Pension liberation fraud www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk
The Pension Advisory Service: Pension liberation plans www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk
The Money Advice Service: Pensions: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
HMRC www.hmrc.gov.uk/pensionschemes/pen-liberation.htm
ICO for reporting pension scam calls and texts https://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=134674895144

MoneyBox E-mail your questions www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/money-box/contact/ or call 03700 100 444 from 1pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday.

Had a call from this number this evening 07.10pm saying he was from DWP
a bit suspicious as he said i had been sent a letter about  my state pension
which i had not. Treat with caution?.

This number is the  Pensions Service Pension Credit Office at Seaham

Had this one yesterday on my answering machine and they did leave a message, one thing the scammers never do.

They rang back today to confirm I had received a letter from them about my pension and after confirmation that I did we proceeded with our business.

This is the DWP, I have no doubt.

they will not stop phoning me at any time day or night

this is the Pension number, just phoned me and sorted out my state pension

its the CSA (Child support agency) Calling as DWP or Pension services

Defiintely UK pensions service - a legit caller

Why don't they just write to me

no its not

This is not spam! Its DWP so don't ignore it. It may cost u in yer pocket if you do :)

Help ! who is this. Just phoned me about my pension and said they will call back.But now 3/4hr late

Why is someone saying it's a con when so many others are saying that this is part of the pension credit service.  It would be helpful if some who have answered this, and actually spoken to the caller, could tell us about the first words they say so that we know what to expect.  Do they say "Is that Mrs......? or do they start by saying "Who am I speaking to"  

There are far too many vague calls these days and many start by asking who I am?  I say "Who are you wanting to speak with" and say that, as they have phoned me, they must know who they need.  It is too dangerous to give a straight answer these days.  If is really is the persion service then they need to change the way the clarify who is on the other end of their line and they need to be willing to name who they wish to speak with.

I know many people who simply replace the receiver if someone asks "who are you??

If your words 'pick in time' refer to people not managing to get to their phone before a caller hangs up you seem to be overlooking the fact that the majority of calls which go unanswered are because the phone owner was not home at the time.

As you say, there are too many callers these days who start by asking us to prove who we are before they tell us who they are.  They tend to hide behind the Data Protection Act.  Unfortunately, Government Departments and Banks seem to be amongst the worst offenders.  The trouble is, as well,  that there are people who come on this website and say that callers are legitimate, even when they know they are not.  This is done by the scammers themselves to try and fool us.  Only recently there was a news item which said that scammers had now learned how to spoof genuine bank numbers when calling and asking for sensitive information.

This is DWP, they have been dealing with my pension.

Just what made you look the number up on here, if it was your team leader calling you?

Woken at 8.30 am by call on my mobile invading my dreams, did not get to answer in time. No message left.

Looked on here, seems there is much debate as to whether the claim that it is DWP is genuine or fake.

I hit 65 in a month's time so things are about to change - I've not been employed for some years through increasing disability. So, half expecting contact from DWP I called the No back to find out.
Female recorded voice message : "This is the Pension Service. You were unavailable when we called. If we still need to contact you we will call again" Click. Don't call us, we'll call you. High-handed, so my guess is that it is genuine.
Googling the number only brings up queries about it - I thought that suspicious at first but then, why would DWP publish a number that is not for incoming calls? Tellows say it is genuine.

The Pension Service publish 0345 606 0265 for contact.

If you received a call at 8:30 am, it is most unlikely to be legitimate.    Who ever heard of a Civil Servant being at their desk before 9?

who is it ?