The NHS has warned against a new Covid-19 vaccination scam - what to look out for

By Rhona Shennan
Published 27th Jan 2021, 10:52 BST
Updated 27th Jan 2021, 10:52 BST
The scam poses as an invite to receive a Covid-19 vaccination (Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)The scam poses as an invite to receive a Covid-19 vaccination (Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
The scam poses as an invite to receive a Covid-19 vaccination (Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

The NHS has issued a warning to the public, raising awareness of a Covid-19 scam.

The scam features an email posing as a fake invitation to be vaccinated, and includes a link to a website to “register” for the vaccine. However, legitimate vaccine emails require no such registration.

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The fake website also asks for bank details, either to verify identification or to make a payment.

The official NHS Twitter account released a tweet addressing the scam, writing: “The Covid-19 vaccine is free of charge on the NHS.”

It said that the NHS would never ask for:

  • Your bank account or card details
  • Your pin or banking password
  • Copies of personal documents to prove your identity, such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips

The tweet added a picture of a Covid-19 vaccine “fact check” sheet.

It said:

  • You don’t need to apply for the vaccine
  • You don’t have to pay to receive it
  • You don’t need to share bank details to confirm your identity

Cyber-security consultant Daniel Card told the BBC that traffic data indicates that thousands of people had clicked the link, sending them to the fake site.

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He urged members of the public to remain vigilant against these scams, adding: “These things spring up, we take them down and then they spring up again.”