Coronavirus scams: information and advice

Although these are not widespread scams, we wanted to raise awareness of them and prevent people in our communities from falling victim

Unfortunately there have been reports from across the country of scammers trying to use the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak to defraud others.

The following scams are among those that have been reported to have been carried out or attempted elsewhere in the UK.

Although these are not widespread scams, we want to raise awareness of them and prevent people in our communities from falling victim:

• Fraudsters pretending to sell personal protective equipment such as facemasks, but never sending anything
• Emails containing links supposedly with more information about coronavirus but which actually lead to a malicious website or demands for payment
• Fake emails supposedly from organisations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization which claim to be able to provide a list of coronavirus-infected people in their area. In fact they contain links to malicious websites
• Attempts to trick people into revealing personal, financial or other sensitive information

 

Please share these crime prevention tips with loved ones to help stop the fraudsters:

• Don’t click on links or attachments in suspicious emails
• Never respond to unsolicited messages asking for personal or financial details
• If you are looking at making purchases on sites you don’t know or trust then make sure you do research into the company before making a purchase
• Ask family and friends for advice
• Keep in touch (on the phone or online if appropriate) with loved ones, especially if they are elderly or more vulnerable
• Install the latest software and updates on devices

You can report a fraud or attempted fraud via Action Fraud.