There has been a lot of talk about scams in the news recently with many people being sent texts from the Royal Mail claiming they need to pay a small shipping fee in order to receive their parcel.
This scam can be believable not only because the receiver could actually waiting for a parcel, but also because of how low the fee is.
However as many soon discover, it’s not actually the Royal Mail at all.
After hearing the news, many people have come forward as victims of the scam, sharing their experiences, with one couple revealing they lost their savings as a result.
Now another scam is making its rounds but this time – its from the NHS – or so the scammers want you to believe.
Consumer advice website Which? have alerted the public to a variety of messages claiming to be the health service which asks users for their personal information.
The URL takes you to a very convincing fake NHS website that asks for your personal details, however the individual who alerted Which? to the scam, soon became suspicious when it asked for their bank and card details in order to ‘check his identity’.
Becoming wary and wondering whether it was genuine at all, he noticed the text and fake website were full of spelling errors.
This is a red flag and a classic sign of a phishing scam – no matter how legit the text or website seems.
In addition, Which? also discovered that the fake site was registered just two days prior.
Since the pandemic began, scammers have evidently taken advantage of the situation.
Data compiled by cybersecurity analysts Webroot shows a 336 per cent increase in the use of the word “vaccine” in suspicious domain names, which were used to launch phishing attacks, between March and December 2020, reports Wired.
What red flags should you look out for?
The top four most common scams you may receive:
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Fake URL links claiming to link to gov.uk website to claim supposed covid related payment
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Lockdown fines suggesting you have breached lockdown
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Offers of health supplements that will prevent you becoming infected
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Financial support offers that appear to be from your bank
The NHS is aware of the scam and released a statement on Twitter, informing the public that all covid vaccines are free and that you should not be charged.
This means that you should never be asked for personal information such as your bank details, your PIN, or any copies of your identity such as drivers licence or bills.
How do I verify the message?
According to National Cyber Security, you should do the following:
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Challenge – Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests that don’t feel right. Check gov.uk to ensure it’s genuine.
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Be wary of text messages that try to get you to send money, or important personal information such as bank details or passwords.
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Take a moment to stop and think before parting with information to keep you safe or your money.
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Use official government websites and refer to ‘Contact Us’ sections of websites to access information and services.
The COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge on the NHS.
We will never ask for:
❌ your bank account or card details
❌ your pin or banking password
❌ copies of personal documents to prove your identity such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips. pic.twitter.com/fZtLhBAMCp
— NHS (@NHSuk)
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What should I do if I think I’ve been scammed?
Which? has a number of great sites you can go to if you think this is the case.
But if you think you may have handed over your card details to scammers, let your bank know what’s happened immediately as they can stop transactions to prevent you from losing any money.
Be sure to keep an eye out for unexpected bills or invoices addressed to you too or any small transactions from your bank account.
You can visit these website here as they’ll explain what to do if you’ve been scammed by any of the following:
