Cases of fraud reached a concerning high during the Covid-19 pandemic. Various types of fraud have been committed by false phone calls, email, text message or in-person visits. Healthcare fraud, in particular, has risen in light of the development of coronavirus vaccines, as individuals have attempted selling a false vaccine by impersonating NHS officials and going in-person to administrate it. Not only is this fraudulent but potentially endangers people’s health also, alongside the selling of fake Covid-19 tests, defective surgical masks and medical supplies.

Social media is another medium used to commit fraud, especially through clickbait and the sale of misbranded products. The national lockdown has meant more people are online shopping, which has opened the door to higher cases of retail fraud and false selling on Instagram and other websites. Action Fraud has reported that over 16,352 online shoppers have fallen victim to fraud since the pandemic started, alongside the vast amount of people that have been lured by fake online auctions and false online advertising of trading and investing schemes that are unwittingly promoted by celebrities on social media.

The changing restrictions on travel have also given way to instances of fraud that involve bogus refund offers and travel deals. Individuals have been stealing personal information and banking details through these scams, leaving many people seeking bank refunds and filing online reports to get their money back.

One example of a Covid-related scam was a text message claiming to offer government refunds as a response to the pandemic, reading ‘UKGOV: You are eligible for a Tax Refund as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Please fill out the following form so that we can process your refund.’

Further example cases of fraud in the pandemic include:

1. Criminals sending fake emails designed to look like they are from government departments offering grants of up to £7,500. The emails contain links which steal personal and financial information from victims.
2. Fraudsters sending scam emails which offer access to ‘Covid-19 relief funds’ encouraging victims to fill in a form with their personal information.
3. Criminals targeting people with official-looking emails offering a ‘council tax reduction’. These emails, which use government branding, contain links which lead to a fake government website which is used to access personal and financial information.
4. Fraudsters preying on benefit recipients, offering to help apply for Universal Credit, while taking some of the payment as an advance for their “services”.
5. Criminals sending phishing emails and links that impersonate the NHS Track and Trace system, claiming that the recipient has been in contact with someone diagnosed with Covid-19. These lead to fake websites that are used to steal personal and financial information or infect devices with malware.

How to avoid being targeted

Be mindful of the vendors you trust and buy from. Scammers are selling unapproved products that claim to treat or prevent Covid-19. Offers to purchase Covid-19 vaccination cards are scams, as these can only be obtained through legitimate providers. If a company or individual is asking for an image of your vaccination card for ‘proof’ of something, do not share it, as this is how they achieve identity fraud.

Be diligent on the phone. Official suppliers will not be calling around offering Covid tests or medical supplies. Furthermore, the government will not be offering payment schemes to move you to the front of the queue for a vaccine, or require personal information in order for you to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, so beware fraudulent phone calls in relation to this. Any caller that is asking for your personal information, medical history or banking details should not be trusted without due diligence checks.

Be wary of email hyperlinks or text messages from unknown senders related to Covid-19. Fraudsters may send false offers advertising Covid-19 testing but make sure that any appointments made are at an official testing site. Scammers might also pretend to be contact tracers; remember that legit tracers won’t ask for personal information.

Further steps to take to avoid Covid-19 related fraud

• Only share personal health information with known medical professionals.
• Be wary about work from home scams and ‘opportunities’ circulating on social media.
• Don’t respond to robocalls that are selling medical supplies, or companies that are demanding advance payments.
• Be mindful of fraudulent emails asking for donations to healthcare, or any unexpected communications that require you to enter your bank details and contribute money.
• Be mindful that some ‘free’ healthcare offers will ask for your personal information and then use it for fraudulent purposes. Don’t give out personal details unless it is to a trusted source.
• Hyperlinks related to healthcare services might be infected with malware or viruses that can infect or hack your computer. You can check links by using ‘Scan URL’ or using a secure browser such as Norton Safe Web.
• Be aware of government imposter schemes and campaigns that are offering pandemic relief money or refunds.

Covid-19 vaccines are free, so any requirements to pay for one are a scam and should be avoided at all costs. There are fraudulent ‘vaccines’ going around via a text message that reads ‘we have identified that you are eligible to apply for your vaccine’ with a link to a fake NHS page which asks for bank details.

If you think you have been contacted by an unreliable party, run the ‘scam’ test:

‘S’- seems too good to be true

‘C’- contacted out of the blue

‘A’- asked for personal details

‘M’- money is requested