“The sheer scale is terrifying”
FOI Request Reveals £26.4m Lost to Pension Scams in Past Two Years

As part of its campaign to raise awareness around pension schemes, the PMI, the professional body for pensions professionals, released data that painted a shocking picture of the number of pensions-related scams reported in 2020-22.

Unfortunately, the cost-of-living crisis and continued increases in household outgoings have contributed to a rise in pension holders considering accessing their savings early, leaving them vulnerable to scammers.

Commenting on the data, the president of the PMI, Robert Wakefield, said:

“Clearly the cost-of-living crisis has made many people desperate for cash to meet short-term requirements, and it is sobering to note that so many have been prepared to access pension savings early at the cost of longer-term security.”

In 2022, research by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the body responsible for regulating financial markets and service providers, found that a quarter (25%) of savers would consider withdrawing money from their pensions earlier due to the cost-of-living crisis and 44% would take up the offer of a free pension review. Unsolicited pension review offers are a classic scam method by fraudsters trying to access victims’ pension pots.

There is a considerable range of pension scams that unsuspecting savers may be taken in by, and care should be taken before transferring or accessing any pension savings, particularly for investments.

Typical pension-related claims the specialist team at TLW Solicitors regularly advise clients on include:

• SIPP (self-invested personal pension) mis-selling;
• Pension Mis-selling;
• Transferring out of a Defined Benefit/Final salary scheme;
• Investment scams

In the data published by the PMI, the most common type of pension scam was ‘pension liberation fraud’, when victims are convinced to access and transfer their pension pots before retirement (usually around 55) to unregulated schemes.

Whether you have been mis-sold or have been convinced to invest your pension pot in a fraudulent investment, there are several different avenues for pursuing claims, and the team at TLW Solicitors can help you identify options for compensation. As such, it is vital that you act as soon as possible once you suspect there is a problem.

Also, making your own complaint to the company who advised you may trigger certain deadlines. TLW will advise you on the most appropriate avenue, ensuring that any time limits are met and enquiries are dealt with promptly.