Coronavirus-related fraud and scams

In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, there has been some targetted fraudulent activity.

Unfortunately, we’ve been advised by colleagues in GM Health and Social Care Partnership that older residents are being targeted by Covid scams.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust reported that older patients have received phone calls to say they’ll be having their Covid vaccinations at home and they will be coming to their address on a certain times/dates to do this.

No one will be contacted to have their vaccine at home.

Here’s a summary of how the appointment system will work:

• If you are registered with a GP in Salford, you will be called by a staff member from Salford City Council.
• If you live in Salford but are registered with a practice outside the borough you will be contacted by representatives from that local authority area.
• The caller will identify themselves and say they are calling on behalf of the NHS in Salford and they are getting in touch about booking an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine.
• The caller will then offer dates and times for you to attend the clinic. They will also give the location of the site where you will receive it. This will not be your usual surgery.
• If you are receiving the Pfizer vaccination, you will also be given the time, date and location for the second dose of the vaccination. It is vital, you return and keep your second appointment 21 days later.
• The callers booking vaccinations will not ask for any other personal details other than asking you to confirm your name. They certainly will not ask for any money. Sadly, we have already been alerted to possible phone scams with callers asking for payment for access to vaccinations.
• Once you have received the vaccination you must not drive for 15 minutes afterwards. You will need to remain in the clinic until that time has elapsed.

 More information on the Coronavirus vaccine in Salford and the appointment system is available here.

Other examples of fraudulent activity include:

• Fake emails and posts on social media from people claiming to be from the education department offering money back or offering tax rebates to the self-employed
• Face masks and hand sanitiser - people buying ineffective facemasks and hand sanitiser some of which contains harmful substances which have been banned for human use.
• People door knocking asking for donations or pretend health workers “testing” for Covid-19.

Delivery scams

With non-essential retail remaining closed during lockdown, many people are shopping online. Unfortunately, criminals are taking advantage of increased online shopping and delivery scams and phishing emails have been circulating pretending to be from DPD or Royal Mail. The emails claim that people have missed a delivery and ask them to reschedule for a small fee, thereby obtaining their bank details. A couple of days later the victim receives a call telling them their bank account has been compromised & that they should transfer the money to a “secure” account, which is actually under the criminal’s control. Action Fraud has received over 116 reports of this scam, they have published information about the deliver scam here. DPD has also shared details of phishing email and how to spot them here.

Some tips to share are:

• DWP, along with many other government departments, are sometimes targeted with fraudulent activity. Please be vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
• Do not share your personal information with anyone else, as this may be used for fraudulent activity.
• Protecting your personal information can help reduce your risk of identity theft.
• If you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the DWP and doubt their legitimacy - please do not share your personal information. Report any suspicious contact immediately.
• Criminal gangs are targeting people to obtain their personal information. If in doubt, please do not share your personal information. Report any suspicious contact immediately
• If someone approaches you claiming to be from DWP, always ask for ID.
• Report any suspicious contact immediately on  www.actionfraud.police.uk or phone 0300 123 2040
• If you have any concerns about the safety of your personal information, speak to someone you trust or get help from Action Fraud or Friends Against Scams.
• Contact your bank if you think you have been scammed.

Please help to keep your volunteers and services users share this information with them.

Action Fraud

Some fraudsters are taking advantage of the increase in charity donations made during the coronavirus outbreak. They can set up fake charities or impersonate well-known charity names.

The risk of fraud should not put you off giving to charities. They do really important work, helping those in the greatest need. However, you should be vigilant and make sure you are giving safely to legitimate organisations. Don’t let the money you donate to charity end up in a criminal’s pocket.

Find out more on the Action Fraud website.

Friends against Scams

Friends against Scams aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams. Be aware of people offering or selling:

• Virus testing kits – these are only offered by NHS.
• Vaccines or miracle cures – there is currently no vaccine or cure.
• Overpriced or fake goods to protect yourself for coronavirus such as anti-bacterial products.
• Shopping or medication collection services
• Home cleaning services

Protect yourself and others:

• Don’t be rushed into making a decision. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
• Only purchase goods from legitimate retailers and take a moment to think before parting with money or personal information.
• Don’t assume everyone is genuine. It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
• If someone claims to represent a charity, ask them for ID.
• Be suspicious of requests for money upfront. If someone attempts to pressurise you into accepting a service they are unlikely to be genuine. Check with family and friends before accepting offers of help if you are unsure.

Visit the Friends Against Scams website.

Useful links

Inclusion North has produced guidance on avoiding scams in easy read format.

For advice on scams call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 11 33 or visit the website.

The National Cyber Security Centre, a part of GCHQ, has launched ‘Cyber Aware’ campaign promoting behaviours to mitigate threats and created a world-leading scam reporting service for people to flag suspicious emails for the NCSC to assess and take down malicious content. If you have received a suspicious email – including those claiming to offer support related to COVID-19 to report@phishing.gov.uk the NCSC’s automated programme will immediately test the validity of the site and any sites found to be phishing scams will be removed immediately.

Take Five is a national campaign offering straight-forward, impartial advice that helps prevent email, phone-based and online fraud – particularly where criminals impersonate trusted organisations.

HMRC: Unsurprisingly, many scams are disguised as communications and services from HMRC. To help raise awareness, HMRC has published a list of examples, with pictures, of recently reported HMRC scams, including a new one claiming to be about a tax refund from your 2018 tax return.

Download the 'wash your hands of scams' poster here.

Inclusion North has produced guidance on avoiding scams in easy read format.

Purplephish - COVID-19 Phishing Bulletin