Be Scam Aware
Published on 12 January 2021 04:20 PM
Trading standards officers have issued a warning about fraudsters who are sending out bogus text messages about the coronavirus vaccine in an attempt to steal bank details.
The text message tells recipients they are ‘eligible to apply for your vaccine’ with a link to a bogus NHS website. The scam link then asks for personal information and - crucially - bank details ‘for verification’.
The warning comes the same day as MPs heard that Covid is leading some people into the net of pension fraudsters.
The fake NHS message is one of a range of scams which have sought to take advantage of the pandemic and the isolation and legitimate worries of potential victims, according to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
Others have included people travelling door-to-door selling counterfeit or useless protection equipment, or fraudsters claiming to be from the official test and trace service and demanding payments.
The latest scam is preying on those elderly or vulnerable people who are fully expecting to receive legitimate information about their vaccine.
Health authorities have stressed they WOULD NEVER ask for an individual's banking details.