Martin Lewis has warned older women affected by state pension changes about fake compensation websites, which may encourage them to hand over their personal information.
Fraudulent websites targeting UK-based pensioners are claiming that compensation is available, Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaigners said.
Bogus websites may request personal details from 1950s-born women, make the false claim that a compensation scheme has been announced, or even try to give the impression that they are connected with Mr Lewis.
Waspi said that one woman in Derbyshire reported that she had been asked to provide copies of her birth certificate and bank details through an online form, before realising it was a scam.
Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, said: ‘The word scammers underplays the danger, of what are often organised criminal gangs using psychologically adept tactics to steal from people.’
He added: ‘Even if they’re not asking for money, they could be trying to take your information as part of a wider fraud.
‘Be incredibly careful, don’t click advertising or other links on social media, unless it is from a validated trusted source.
‘And to be very plain, I don’t do adverts nor allow anyone to use my name for endorsements. All my information will always be on my site MoneySavingExpert.com, so if you can’t find it there, and see it elsewhere, it’s very likely a scam.’
Martin Lewis (pictured) has warned women affected by state pension changes about fraudulent compensation websites
Waspi chairwoman Angela Madden said: ‘Waspi has fielded dozens of queries from women following an alarming spike in fraudulent websites appearing in recent days.
‘The need for compensation is so urgent that it is the most vulnerable women who are at risk from scammers. The behaviour of opportunists who seek to exploit them is nothing short of disgraceful.’
She suggested that people contact Action Fraud if they have shared sensitive information or feel they are at risk.
Those who are worried they may have been scammed should also contact their bank or building society. Many banks have signed up to the 159 service, which enables people who are worried about scams to get through to their provider on an easy-to-remember number.
Fran McSweeney, head of services at Independent Age, said: ‘While scams can be very sophisticated, there are things people can do to protect themselves.
‘Never be rushed into sharing personal details out of the blue and contact your bank if you think you’ve been tricked into revealing any of your banking details. If what you’re told sounds unlikely or too good to be true, it probably is.’
Pictured: A group of women representing the WASPI protest group outside the Houses of Parliament during a demonstration on March 17, 2025 in London
Waspi is seeking a judicial review to force the Government to reconsider its decision to rule out a compensation package for women affected by the way changes to the state pension age were communicated.
A previous report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PSHO) suggested compensation ranging between £1,000 and £2,950 could be appropriate for each of those affected.
But in December 2024, the Government said that, while it accepted the ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and apologised for there being a delay in writing to 1950s-born women, a blanket compensation scheme, which could cost taxpayers up to £10.5 billion, cannot be justified.
It comes after Martin Lewis issued a different warning for motorists to check their driving license.
The money saving expert warned drivers across the UK that they could be in for an unpleasant shock if they are discovered driving with an out-of-date licence.
According to data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), 2.3 million people across the UK will see their licences expire this year – though many might not realise.
Writing on the Money Saving Expert website, advisors warned that the repercussions for being caught without a valid licence could be as expensive as they are inconvenient.
Those caught driving without an in-date licence could even face fines of £1,000.
The money saving expert from Manchester warned WASPI women to be ‘incredibly careful’ about the scams
Martin urged all licence holders to do one simple thing to avoid having the shell out – check the expiry date.
As of 1998, photocard licences have been in place across the UK. Paper driving licences issued before 31 March 2000 are still valid.
But cards given to drivers are only valid for ten years at a time and must be renewed after this period.
The date is given on the front of the plastic card and can be found under section 4B.
If drivers are due an update, they can easily do so by going onto the DVLA website and ordering a new version.
Renewing a driving licence costs either £14 online or £17 via post, and requires an updated passport or alternative form of legal identification.
For those applying by post, forms known as D1 papers are available from most UK post offices or can be obtained from the DVLA website.
Drivers can also get their licence updated at the post office, though this requires an additional charge of £4.50 to take a photo on top of the initial £17 fee.
Those over 70 will need to renew their licence every three years instead of every 10 – though this can be done for free.
The same also applies to people who have a short-term medical licence.
Writing on the Money Saving Expert website, advisors said people can still drive if their licence is out of date, so long as they are in the process of getting it renewed.
The DVLA says if your licence expires while it is processing your renewal application, you should be able to continue driving as long as you meet certain conditions,’ it states.
These include ‘only driving vehicles you were entitled to drive on your previous licence, not being told by a doctor or optician that you shouldn’t drive, and you aren’t disqualified from driving.’
If someone has applied for a medical licence, they must ensure they are fulfilling all the criteria to qualify.
‘If you’re waiting for a medical driving licence – in other words, you have declared a medical condition to the DVLA – you must make sure you meet the medical standards for fitness to drive before doing so,’ they explained.
As well as making sure to check the expiry date, Martin alerted drivers to the address section of their licence, urging them to ensure it’s correct to avoid getting a fine.
This process is simple and only requires people to go on the DVLA website where they can receive an updated licence for free.
It’s good news for regular movers as the number of times a licence holder can change their address is unlimited.
Finally, people will need to ensure their first and surname is correct, along with their correct gender.
Again, this can easily be rectified by ordering a D1 application for for a driving licence via the Gov.uk website and making the necessary changes.
This will then need to be posted to the DVLA alongside the appropriate documents. Fortunately, there is no cap on the number of times this can be done.
