Fake South West Water debt letters prompt warning in Newquay

The letter looks exactly like the ones you’re used to getting. Same water company, same layout, same official feel. It tells you there’s a debt on your account and gives you a QR code so you can pay it off quickly. The problem is that somebody has quietly swapped the payment details, and the money isn’t heading anywhere near your water company.

What has been reported

Devon & Cornwall Police have received reports of residents getting scam letters that claim to be from South West Water. The letters tell people there is a debt on their account and ask them to make a payment through a QR code printed on the page.

So far the letters have been hand delivered in the Plymouth area. Police say the offenders have used a standard South West Water letter but changed the payment details on it.

Newquay Town Council has shared the warning on behalf of Devon & Cornwall Police and South West Water, so people in Cornwall know what to look out for.

How the scam works

The trick relies on the letter looking genuine. Because the fraudsters have started from a real South West Water template, there’s little at first glance to set it apart from the real thing. The giveaway sits in the payment route. The QR code and the payment details have been altered, so anyone who pays through them is handing money straight to the people behind the scam.

What to do if one lands on your doormat

If you have received one of these letters, Devon & Cornwall Police are asking you to report it in two places:

• To the police, through the Devon & Cornwall Police website or by calling 101. Quote the reference 50260275737.
• To Report Fraud, through the Report Fraud website or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Why every report counts

According to the police, each report helps the authorities and service providers identify nuisance and scam letters, which makes it harder for criminals to target the public.

They’re also asking people to pass the advice on to family and friends, especially anyone who may be more vulnerable to scams. A letter like this is most likely to work on someone who opens it alone and has nobody to double-check it with.

The reports so far have all come from the Plymouth area, where the letters were pushed through doors by hand.