How to check if a communication from us is genuine

Throughout the calendar year, we frequently touch base with our members. If you’re ever unsure whether a communication (such as an email) is genuinely from us, or whether it’s a potential scam, please call us on 0330 123 2222. 

A member of our contact centre will always be happy to help in verifying whether a communication is genuine or fake.  

We’ve shared some general advice on how to spot fraudulent communications and protect yourself from potential scams. 

Scammers often ask for personal or financial information

Scammers may use different ways to access your personal or financial information, mislead you or encourage you to pay money. These scams may use email, text messages or phone calls. You may have heard these referred to as phishing, smishing (SMS phishing) and vishing (voice phishing). Being aware of these types of scams can help you to protect yourself from them. Find out more about the different types of fraudulent scams.

Look out for spelling mistakes or other inconsistencies

There are some key things to look out for to help you spot fraudulent scams, these are:  

• spelling mistakes, inconsistencies and strange or messy design
• letters, emails, phone calls or text messages which don’t greet you by name or use a known reference number and you’re not expecting the contact
• a sense of urgency and being pressured into taking action quickly   

To protect yourself, you can:  

• double check that the email address or webpage is spelt correctly – sometimes scammers may change just 1 or 2 characters 
• report suspicious communications to the organisation by using publicly listed number (do not call the number provided in the suspicious communication)
• don’t reply to an email, click on links or attachments if the email doesn’t look right 
• don't give them any information until you’re satisfied that they are who they say they are

We will use your first name, and never ask for your password

Throughout the year we may send you a variety of communications. When we communicate with you, we will: 

• address you personally and never begin an email with a generic ‘Dear member’ message. You’ll always be addressed by first name.
• include your PPF or FAS reference number in our emails 
• never ask for your password 

You may receive correspondence from a company called Target Professional Services asking you to confirm your address. This is the company we’ve chosen to help keep track of all our members. It’s important that we have your current address to continue your payments, if you’re already retired, or to write to you closer to the time of your retirement.  

If you’ve been contacted by Target Professional Services and have any questions or concerns, you can contact them directly on +44 (0) 1243 601333 or email them at [email protected].

The PPF Trustmark badge is only used by our panellists

Only our panellists can use the PPF Trustmark, which recognises the expertise and high level of service they provide in the scheme assessment process. Please use our list of panellists to verify any communication you receive which may have the Trustmark. If you see the Trustmark used in other ways, please let us know. 

For more support, visit MoneyHelper or the Financial Conduct Authority website

Our team are more than happy to answer any questions about communications you’ve received from us or any general queries you may have. You can message us via our secure messaging service by registering on our member website.   

Find out more information on the MoneyHelper website and the Financial Conduct Authority's ScamSmart hub.