Coronavirus Scam Alert - newsletter 5
West Yorkshire Trading Standards has seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 related scams.
What Scams are trending at the moment in West Yorkshire?
- Fraudulent emails sent to organisations stating they have qualified for the sum of $200,000.00 from the World Health Organisation relief fund.
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Automated Scam messages from fraudsters claiming to be Amazon Prime, the call states that a trial membership was about to expire and they would be deducting £34 from your bank account.
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Phishing emails offering the sale of testing kits and face masks.
Scams Trending Regionally & Nationally
- Travel scams on the increase as fraudsters purport to be from travel companies, tour operators and insurers are offering to rebook or refund cancelled holidays.
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Fake text messages claiming to be from Natwest bank- Customers have reported recieving a messaging stating that they have updated banking information and tells you to click the link in the text, the link takes you to a site where fraudsters will steal banking informaion.
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Supermarket Voucher scams are being shared widely on Social Media sites. Fraudsters are claiming to be offering food vouchers for families in need to spend in stores.
Top Tips
Don't click on links or attachments in suspicious emails and never respond to messages that ask for personal or financial details.
Look for websites with https: in the web address, the letter S usually indictates if the website is secure.
Doorstep criminals taking advantage of the pandemic
Bogus callers attending an address in West Yorkshire offering an injection for sale, which purports to be a vaccine for COVID19. There is NO vaccine yet for COVID19, nor are testing kits available to buy on the general market. If you have anyone approaching you, either at home, on the phone or anywhere else, trying to sell you a vaccine, a cure, or a testing kit, please know this is a SCAM! *Please only seek medical advice from your doctor.
Top Tips
YOUR DOORSTEP YOUR DECISION If you feel pressured, ask the person to leave.
NO SNAP DECISIONS Take time to talk to someone you trust before you make any decisions.
DO THE CHECKS You can check ID badges and contact associations to check membership registrations yourself. Call the telephone number of the organisation, obtain this number yourself, not from the person at the door.
Who to contact
Report complaints to Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline: 0808 223 1133
Report scams to Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040
Email reports of Covid-19 Scams in West Yorkshire: Covid19.Scams@wyjs.org.uk