Trading Standards warn of COVID-19 vaccination scams
Published: 13 January 2021
If you receive a suspicious text you should delete and report it.
Derby City Council’s Trading Standards team are advising residents to be aware of NHS COVID-19 vaccination scams.
This advice comes after multiple reports around the UK that members of the public have received a scam text message offering them a dose of one of the new vaccines.
The messages inform recipients that “we [the NHS] have identified that you are eligible to apply for your vaccine.” and ends with a link to a bogus website mocked up to look like a legitimate NHS site. The website requests several personal and banking details, supposedly for verification.
We are also aware of an incident in London where a fraudster claiming to work for the NHS injected a 92-year-old female with a fake coronavirus vaccine and charged her £160. The fraudster said that the NHS would refund the money, and City of London Police are trying to identify and locate the perpetrator.
Residents are reminded that the NHS will never ask you for your bank details, passwords, or PIN number. If you receive a suspicious text, Trading Standards advises that you delete and report it. You can find more information from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
The COVID-19 vaccine is available free of charge, and the NHS will invite you for your vaccination. People should not contact their GP about a vaccination unless asked to do so, and should not attend any vaccination site without an appointment.
Last week, news was announced that Derby Arena had opened as Derbyshire’s largest vaccination site, as the national vaccination programme rolls out across the country.