People across Kent have begun receiving scam texts and emails related to the government's £400 energy rebate.

The money will be paid automatically in to every qualifying household starting next month.

But these latest scams invite people to apply for the rebate using a link. But it's an attempt to elicit personal details from the victim.

Rhiannon Cox from the North Loose Residents Association in Maidstone warned her members to be on the lookout after receiving a scam message herself.

She said: "This scam is being used by callous crooks to try and trick people into handing over their personal and financial information by pretending to be from the government.

"The dangerous scam tells people they need to apply for the £400 energy rebate, which is set to start being deducted from millions of bills across the country from next month.

"The £400 energy rebate discount will be made automatically - nobody needs to apply for it.

"The government guidance on the real energy rebate page warns that if you get a message asking for your bank details, it could be a scam - if you get the text, do not click on the link as it takes you to a clone of the Energy Bills Support Scheme page on GOV.UK, with the addition of a ‘Start now’ button, which has been created by the cybercriminals."

Zoe Mor and Ian Tatt, both from Shepway, have also received the scam texts as has Ian Tucker from Loose, Linda Gilmore from south Wigmore and Rachel Wainwright from Maidstone East.

Richard Plummer from Coxheath declared the scammers to be: "Scum! Trying to cash in on people's struggles and misery!"

There are several variations of the text message doing the rounds, including one that purports to be from KCC.

Other domain names used by the scammers include energy-bill-online.com, myenergybillonline.com, rebate-ogem.com and totalsolutions24-7.co.uk

Some people are also receiving scam emails, allegedly coming from Ofgem.

Ofgem has advised that any genuine emails from itself always end with the address @ofgem.gov.uk

Every household with a domestic energy contract will be given £400 this winter by the government to help them meet the costs of higher bills.

The money will be paid in monthly instalments from October until March, regardless of whether people pay for their energy monthly or quarterly.

Those who pay by direct debit will see the extra money appear as a credit on statements.

Those using pre-payment meters will be sent vouchers via text, email or post to redeem - but neither will require any customer involvement.

The extra money will arrive automatically and customers don't need to share any personal details to get it.

The advice from the UK's National Cyber Security Centre is to avoid clicking on any such link, and instead to forward any scam text message s to 7726, for investigation, and any scam emails forward to report@phishing.gov.uk