Living Well at Home UKClear, practical guidance for later life
Pensions and fraud

By Does Your Duck Quack

Pension scams and lost pensions: protect and trace

Spot pension scams, find contact details for an old workplace pension and get help before transferring or withdrawing retirement savings.

Checked: 12 October 2026 · Next review: 12 April 2027 · Applies to: UK, with nation notes
How this guide was prepared

Purpose: how to guidance · Level: detailed

Checked by: Does Your Duck Quack. Sources are linked below; seek professional advice for individual circumstances.

The short answer

What to do first

Spot pension scams, find contact details for an old workplace pension and get help before transferring or withdrawing retirement savings.

Start here: Look through old payslips, annual statements, employment contracts and letters from former employers. Search securely for the pension scheme or administrator name and note any previous addresses, work dates and payroll references. Contact former employers through independently verified details and ask which scheme handled workplace pensions during your employment. Do not post account numbers or identity documents publicly. If a company or person contacts you unexpectedly, do not use the phone number or link they provide until you have independently checked who they are.

Visual guides

See the decision at a glance

Trace a pension safely
  1. 1. Gather old detailsFind former employer and scheme names in old letters, statements or payslips.
  2. 2. Use the tracing serviceAsk GOV.UK for scheme contact details; it does not confirm your pension value.
  3. 3. Verify the contactFind the scheme’s details independently before sharing personal information.
  4. 4. Get guidanceSpeak to impartial pension guidance before deciding about access or transfer.
Warning signs and safe checks
  1. Unexpected contactPension cold calling is banned; treat an unsolicited sales call as a warning.
  2. Pressure or guaranteesPause if someone promises high returns or urges you to act immediately.
  3. Check authorisationVerify regulated advice on the FCA register using details you found yourself.
  4. If money movedContact the pension scheme and bank promptly; keep messages and records.

Scope of this guide

This guide helps you understand the options and questions to ask. It is not personal medical, legal or financial advice. Check the official sources for your nation and seek qualified help for high-stakes decisions.

Who this guide is for

People searching for an old workplace pension or worried that an unexpected offer may put retirement savings at risk.

A pension may be hard to trace after changing jobs, moving home or losing paperwork. At the same time, scammers may use a missing pension as a reason to offer a “free review”, guaranteed returns or urgent access to cash. This guide explains how to find a legitimate pension contact, recognise warning signs and respond if you have shared details or moved money. It is general information, not individual financial advice. Get free independent pension guidance or regulated financial advice before transferring or withdrawing money.

Practical steps

1. Start with your own records

Look through old payslips, annual statements, employment contracts and letters from former employers. Search securely for the pension scheme or administrator name and note any previous addresses, work dates and payroll references. Contact former employers through independently verified details and ask which scheme handled workplace pensions during your employment. Do not post account numbers or identity documents publicly. If a company or person contacts you unexpectedly, do not use the phone number or link they provide until you have independently checked who they are.

2. Use the official Pension Tracing Service

The GOV.UK Pension Tracing Service is free and can help find contact details for a workplace or personal pension provider when you have lost touch. It does not tell you whether you have a pension or how much it is worth; you need to contact the scheme. Paid tracing firms may charge for work you can start yourself through GOV.UK, so understand any fee before agreeing. Provide the former employer or scheme name as accurately as possible, then verify the contact details before sharing personal information. Keep a note of each enquiry and its response.

3. Recognise the common warning signs

Be cautious about unsolicited contact, pressure to act quickly, offers to unlock pension money before the normal rules allow, guaranteed or unusually high returns, or claims that an adviser can transfer everything into a special investment. Pension cold calling is banned in the UK, so an unexpected pension sales call is a serious warning sign. A professional-looking website or a registration number does not prove the approach is genuine. Pause, do not share one-time security codes and do not sign transfer papers until you have checked the firm independently.

4. Check the firm and get impartial guidance

If you are considering advice, check the firm and individual on the Financial Conduct Authority register and confirm that the contact details match the register. Pension Wise offers free, impartial guidance for people aged 50 or over with a defined-contribution pension who want to understand their options; it is guidance, not a personal recommendation. You can also use MoneyHelper to find official information. Do not rely on a caller’s link or a copied badge. If in doubt, contact the regulator or guidance service using details you found yourself.

5. Act quickly if you may have been targeted

If you gave bank details, identity information or a security code, contact your bank using its official number and explain what happened. If you signed a transfer request, contact the pension scheme and the receiving firm immediately and ask whether anything can be stopped. Report fraud through Report Fraud in England, Wales or Northern Ireland; in Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101. Keep messages, letters, names, dates and payment records. Do not pay a recovery company that promises to get money back for an advance fee.

6. Keep pension records safe and review old plans

Once you locate a pension, ask the scheme to confirm the member’s name, policy reference, current administrator, benefits and options in writing. Update your address and keep the contact details with other important financial records. Pensions dashboards are not yet generally available to the public: as at October 2026, the Pensions Regulator says no public launch date has been set. The 31 October 2026 connection deadline is for pension schemes, not a public opening date. Use the free tracing service now and follow official updates. If there are several pensions, a regulated adviser or impartial guidance can help you understand questions to ask, but you do not need to rush into consolidation. A transfer can give up valuable guarantees or protections. Discuss choices with a regulated adviser before acting, particularly if a caller has created urgency or says an offer will expire.

Questions and checks

Common questions

How do I find a pension from an old job?

Gather the employer’s name, your approximate dates of employment and any scheme name from payslips or letters. Use the GOV.UK Pension Tracing Service to find contact details for a workplace or personal pension scheme. The service does not confirm whether you have money in a pension or its value; contact the scheme directly. Verify the scheme’s contact details before sending personal documents.

Are pension cold calls legal?

Pension cold calling has been banned in the UK since 2019. An unexpected call about transferring, cashing in or reviewing your pension should therefore be treated as a warning sign. Do not share security codes or agree to a transfer during the call. Record what was said, end the conversation, and independently contact your pension provider or a trusted official guidance service.

Can Pension Wise tell me what to do with my pension?

Pension Wise provides free, impartial guidance for eligible people aged 50 or over with a defined-contribution pension. It explains options and questions to consider, but it does not make a personal recommendation about what you should do. If you need advice tailored to your finances, use an FCA-authorised regulated adviser and verify their details on the FCA register.

What should I do if I have already transferred money?

Contact your pension scheme, the receiving firm and your bank immediately using details you find independently. Ask whether a transfer or payment can be stopped and explain why you are concerned. Preserve messages and documents and report the suspected fraud through the appropriate service; Scotland uses Police Scotland. Be cautious of anyone demanding an upfront fee to recover money, as recovery offers can be another scam.

Are pensions dashboards available to the public yet?

As at October 2026, The Pensions Regulator says no public launch date has been set. The connection deadline for pension schemes is not a launch date for people to view their pensions. Use the GOV.UK Pension Tracing Service if you need to find an old scheme now, and follow official updates for the public dashboard start.

Before you act

Write down the outcome you want, the names and dates involved, and the evidence or documents you already have. Ask for important decisions, costs and next steps in writing. If information is unclear, ask which nation’s rules are being used and when the decision will be reviewed.

If there is a delay or disagreement

Keep a short factual record of calls, letters and missed actions. Ask for the responsible person, the written reasons, the complaints or review route and any deadline. Immediate health or safety risks should be escalated separately rather than waiting for a routine complaint.

Differences across the UK

Pension tracing and scam reporting routes apply across the UK, but fraud-reporting bodies differ: England, Wales and Northern Ireland use Report Fraud; Scotland uses Police Scotland. Pension and tax rules are broadly UK-wide, but seek UK-regulated advice for an individual decision. FCA authorisation applies to regulated pension advice; verify current details directly.

Primary sources

The publisher checked this guide against the 10 official sources below. This is an editorial source check, not approval by a clinician, lawyer or benefits adviser.

Editorial note: By Does Your Duck Quack.