Fraudsters pretending to be from NHS tell residents they have been in contact with Covid-19
Fraudsters pretending to be from the NHS are telling residents they have been in contact with Covid-19.
Shropshire Council's trading standards team has received a number of reports of the telephone scam, which uses the NHS Test and Trace service to target vulnerable people.
Scammers are contacting residents claiming to be from NHS Test and Trace before telling the resident that they have been in contact with someone suffering from coronavirus, and need to have a test sent out to them.
This is then followed with a request for the resident’s bank details and the caller states that the test and results cost £500.
Currently, coronavirus test kits are provided by the NHS so they are therefore free of charge. The Department of Health and Social Care has spoken out about this particular scam and Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, said legitimate calls would be “very obvious”.
People who require a test to be sent out can have it delivered and collected for free.
Scam text messages often encourage the recipient to click a link that redirects them to an unsecured website where personal information may be stolen.
NHS Test and Trace will only ever call from the number 0300 013 5000, or you will be texted from “NHS”.
If you have any concerns about trading practices relating to Covid-19 or any other issue, you should report these to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
