LBC CONSUMER HOUR SCAM AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: SCAM ALERT
The NHS Test and Trace APP is the subject of several scams doing the rounds. Here’s a few that we have heard about at LBC:
Scam 1
Fraudsters, claiming to be phoning from the NHS ‘track and trace’ service, are telephoning victims and informing them that they have been in ‘close proximity’ with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. The fraudster then informs the victim that they must have a coronavirus test, and that they have to pay £50 over the phone, following which the test will be posted to them.
Scam 2
Fraudsters have been sending text messages purportedly from Government, advising that you are entitled to a payment; Of course you are asked to click a link to claim the money. No such money is being paid out – it’s simply a scam. There are lots of variations of this scam doing the rounds.
Genuine Government text:
NOTE: The link ‘gov.uk/coronavirus’. This is the only genuine address.
The text does not ask for money, or your personal data
Fake text:
NOTE: The web address is wrong (it does not say ‘.gov.uk’)
Government is not making payments like this
Scam 3
Lots of people have been receiving text messages (like the one below), purporting to be notice of a fine from Government for breaching Covid restrictions. These are all scams, and no such fines are being handed out via text or email.
Avoiding these scams
The NHS Test and Trace service will never:
- ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to them (for example, those starting 09 or 087)
- ask you to make any form of payment or buy anything
- ask for any details about your bank account
- ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts
- ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone
- ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else
- ask you to access any website which does not belong to the Government or NHS
If you are contacted by the service, you be provided with a unique ID number.
Contact tracers will only call you from the number 0300 013 5000. Anyone who does not wish to talk over the phone can request an email or text instead, giving you the opportunity to log into the web-based service.
We would advise people to type the official web address for the NHS Test and Trace service into their browser rather than clicking on any link provided in the message.
https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk
You will then by prompted to enter the Account ID.
