97-year-old Worthing woman targeted by vaccine scammers
Police have reiterated warnings to be on the lookout
Police are reiterating warnings about Covid-19 scams in West Sussex after a 97-year-old woman in Worthing became the latest to be targeted.
Sussex Police reported that two men knocked on the elderly woman's door on January 21st and asked if she had her jab yet.
She told them to leave and they did.
It comes after a 91-year-old man in Haywards Heath was contacted via text by what he thought was his GP surgery on December 26th, about the vaccine he was due to receive.
The victim clicked on a link asking for personal information which he provided. The page then shut down when he added in his details and he reported it as a possible scam.
Fortunately no money was lost.
Other instances of fraudulent emails, texts and other communications have been reported, but thankfully no money is reported to have been lost.
Action Fraud has reported cases nationally where victims have been asked to send financial details by scammers to pay for vaccines.
PC Bernadette Lawrie, Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer, said:
"That anyone would use the public health crisis we are facing to attempt to exploit people is completely shameful.
"We are aware of reports around the country where the elderly and vulnerable have lost money to this sort of scam so we are urging the public to be vigilant and report anything suspicious to Action Fraud or police."
How to protect yourself:
In the UK, coronavirus vaccines will only be available via the NHS. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive your vaccine. Remember, the vaccine is free of charge. At no point will you be asked to pay.
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.
If you believe you are the victim of a fraud, please report this to Action Fraud as soon as possible by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting the Action Fraud website.
If the victim is vulnerable, please report to Sussex Police online or by calling 101.