Beware of Coronavirus Scams
The Coronavirus pandemic means that scammers are finding new ways to make money and prey on people’s worries. Here are some of the key scams you should look out for:
- Spoof texts and emails pretending to be the government – don’t click any links in emails or messages unless you’re sure they’re legitimate
- Voucher scams, pretending to be supermarkets offering money-off vouchers. You can read more about this on the Trading Standards website: https://www.journaloftradingstandards.co.uk/crime/new-covid-19-voucher-scam/
- Fake medical products and home testing kits being sold online – there are no medicines that have been licensed for home treatment of COVID-19, and no such home testing kits have been approved. You can read more here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-medicines-and-medical-devices-regulator-investigating-14-cases-of-fake-or-unlicensed-covid-19-medical-products
- Online shopping fraud – be wary of buying goods from sellers you don’t recognise. You can read more on the Action Fraud website: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/online-shopping-fraud
- Free school meals – beware of emails asking for your bank details in exchange for food vouchers or deliveries
If you’re not sure if something might be a scam, look out for the following warning signs:
- It seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect
- Someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly
- You suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address
- You’ve been asked to transfer money quickly
- You’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example, by iTunes vouchers or through a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union
- You’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
- You haven’t had written confirmation of what’s been agreed
You can report suspicious emails to the National Cyber Security Centre here: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/report-suspicious-emails
For further advice, contact our national Scams Action service: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams/get-help-with-online-scams/
