PPI scammers still calling more than a month after the reclaiming deadline

The official deadline for submitting a PPI complaint was 29 August this year, but some users have been in touch to say they are still getting calls telling them they're owed money, even though they've never submitted a claim. What's more, some fraudsters are even claiming to be calling from MoneySavingExpert.com.

These, of course, are bogus calls. MoneySavingExpert never, ever, EVER cold calls people or knocks on doors for any reason. We always championed reclaiming PPI for free.

If you get a call out of the blue telling you you're owed money for a PPI complaint – be vigilant. For most people, the reclaiming deadline has closed, and firms won't have put in complaints for you on your behalf without your knowledge.

If you've previously put in a claim and get a call that you think might be from your bank, you can always err on the side of caution, put the phone down, find its contact number yourself and call it back.

The PPI deadline may have passed, but if you've put in a claim, you need to know about the tax on PPI payouts. See Martin's blog Had a PPI payout? If so, you can reclaim the tax on it for full information.

What are the scammers saying?

We've heard from at least half a dozen people who've been contacted by PPI scammers in the past month, after the deadline for starting a claim closed.

The scams appear to come from a variety of different sources, with some saying they're from MoneySavingExpert, and some not.

• John Black, 29, from Portsmouth, told us: "I never completed a PPI claim, but I constantly get calls about PPI. This week I have received three calls from what appears to be a mobile number. They say they want to pay me my PPI money.

  "They then asked for my account number and sort code, and when I asked for a cheque, they put the phone down. In each call they state a value and every time it's been different: £2,500, £3,000."

• MoneySaver Derek Gordge, from Basingstoke, told us: "I've never claimed PPI before and any time I get a call on my landline I usually assume it's a scam to be honest.

  "I got a call on 25 September. They said they were from MSE and had a cheque for me for about £5,000 for PPI, but that I needed to show some documentation. And they said something about having to buy an Amazon voucher. I said if it was from MoneySavingExpert I'd get in touch directly, and eventually they hung up."

• Another, Jo, said: "I have just received a call from a so-called Mr Smith from MoneySavingExpert. They say they have a cheque to give me for £5,681 for PPI, and the only thing I have to do is get a £200 Amazon card from Tesco to pay to them after the cheque has cleared."

I've received a scam call – what should I do?

If you've been contacted by someone you think is a scammer, regardless of whether they say they're from MoneySavingExpert.com or not, then report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report a scam anonymously on its website.

If you wish to seek further advice, contact Citizens Advice Scams Action through the website, or call its online scams helpline on 0300 330 3003. Alternatively, you can contact the Financial Conduct Authority's helpline on 0800 111 6768.

If you've been contacted by a scammer pretending to be from MoneySavingExpert.com, please let us know as soon as possible at news@moneysavingexpert.com.

Remember, don't give out any personal details over the phone – see our 30+ Ways to Stop Scams guide for full info on avoiding being tricked.

Can I still make a PPI claim?

The answer for most is that you can no longer submit a PPI reclaim. BUT if you did intend to submit a reclaim before the 29 August deadline and missed it because of exceptional circumstances, you may still be able to do so, though there are no guarantees.

Another alternative would be to try and go via a small claims court. See our Reclaim PPI guide for full information.