Fake Covid vaccine emails, Brexit text messages and compromised National Insurance number scams - Cifas fraud warning

Covid vaccines, Brexit and National Insurance numbers are among the topics being used by scammers to trick unsuspecting people into handing over personal details.
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Fraud prevention service Cifas has shared details of the latest scams to be reported as it urges the public to stay vigilant of the ever-changing tactics used to extract money and information.

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They include phone calls claiming that a person's National Insurance number has been compromised and text messages asking people to verify their details to keep up with EU standards as a result of Brexit.

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Head of fraud intelligence Amber Burridge said: "We continue to see criminals using variations of methods to scam the public by encouraging us to part with our personal details. Once they have their hands on these details, it’s likely they will be used to facilitate identity fraud, which accounted for 60 per cent of cases filed to the National Fraud Database last year.

"I would urge anyone that is asked for their personal or financial details to think carefully and consider the potential consequences of parting with this information. Where possible, avoid clicking on links in emails and try to take steps to verify the identity of the person or organisation contacting you."

The warning comes as the Yorkshire Evening Post continues its Stop the Scammers campaign which aims to raise awareness of the tactics being used by criminals.

With the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines among the biggest talking points at present, scammers are posing as NHS officials and trying to trick people into paying for an appointment.

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Ms Burridge said: "As the distribution of the vaccine begins to increase and more groups become able to book their vaccine, spotting when a message is obviously fake may become more difficult. Remember that the NHS will never ask for your banking details as part of booking your vaccination and check the website you are using has an official NHS URL."

The NHS has issued a number of warnings itself about the risk of scam emails and texts claiming to be about Covid-19 vaccine bookings. The messages purport to come from the NHS, and include a link to register for the vaccine as well as asking for bank details for verification purposes.

Cifas is reminding people that the NHS will never ask for payment or your bank details as the vaccine is free. Its staff will never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine and will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents, such as your passport.

If you believe you have been scammed, then you can report it to Action Fraud via www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or call 0300 123 2040. If you have provided bank details, you should also contact your bank immediately.

How are the other scams being run?

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Action Fraud has issued a warning of scam calls requesting personal details from victims in relation to a compromised National Insurance number. Once a victim presses a number on their handset, they are connected to a criminal who claims they are collecting their personal details so the victim will receive a new National Insurance number. This is a scam, and the details provided will most likely be used to commit identity fraud in the future.

Cifas is reminding the public to never give out personal or banking details over the phone to callers they do not know. Remember that only criminals will try to rush or panic you into parting with your details, and if you suspect the call could be a scam, then hang up.

Meanwhile, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has seen evidence of a text scam which asks recipients to verify their identity in order to ‘keep up with EU standards’ as a result of Brexit. The message goes on to direct people to a website to share their personal details 'to avoid restrictions'. This is a scam, and the link directs to a phishing website to collect personal details.

Cifas is reminding the public to forward suspicious text messages to 7726. By providing this information, your provider will be able to investigate the origin of the text and take action if required. You can also forward any suspicious emails to [email protected] to alert the Suspicious Email Reporting Service.

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