COVID-19 scams – be extra vigilant

Unfortunately, there has recently been a rise in scams connected to COVID-19 which have been targeting people’s concerns about the pandemic.

As more people start to receive information about COVID-19 vaccinations, one scam involves people receiving a text that says they can book a vaccination through a fake NHS form that asks for their bank details.

The vaccination is free, the NHS will never ask for your bank details and if you receive a message like this, please be aware it could be a scam.

Other COVID-19 related scams to look out for include:

• Sales of fake products such as face masks, supplements, anti-virus kits and sanitisers, which may be harmful or simply never arrive
• Bogus healthcare workers who try to gain access to your home by claiming to offer testing for COVID-19
• People pretending to be from charities offering to do shopping or carry out cleaning tasks
• Emails asking for donations to the NHS.

For more guidance on COVID-19 visit the government website.