Have you received an email, chat message or SMS message claiming to be from the NHS asking you to click a link to book your vaccine appointment? There’s a pretty high chance that it’s a scam.
Cyber crooks are not the type of people to let a global pandemic go to waste, and they’ve set about creating a whole host of scams using COVID-19 or the COVID-19 vaccine as the bait. The latest ruse aims to lure victims to spoof websites that are designed to harvest their personal info, and even their sensitive online banking details, and they’re using the promise of a COVID vaccine to do that.
The emails and messages used by the scammers claim that you are eligible for the COVID vaccine and offer a link for you to get more information. But beware. These links are likely to land you on an imposter website that may look like it’s an official NHS webpage, but it isn’t.
In fact any data you enter onto these pages will be sent not the NHS but straight to the hands of cyber crooks.
Not only does this include any personal data you enter about yourself, but since these fake websites also claim you need to pay for the vaccine, they also steal any payment information you’re told to enter as well.
That makes you vulnerable to identity theft, and also gives crooks enough data to drain your bank accounts. So it’s important that we avoid these fake emails and messages like they were COVID-19 itself.
This is called a phishing scam. The crooks are pretending to be someone they are not, sending out thousands of fake messages, and waiting to see who bites.
An example fake text message is below.
And this is the convincing webpage it leads to, which doesn’t belong to the NHS as you can see from the web address at the top.
Some simple pointers are below –
– Be extremely sceptical of any message claiming that you’re eligible for the vaccine, even if they appear to come from a trusted entity like the NHS. Be extra, extra sceptical if that message contains a web link.
– If you do click a web link, check the web address of the page you’re on. Does it belong to the NHS? If not, click away.
– You can check how the NHS will contact you when it’s your turn to get the vaccination on this page. You can check with your local health authority’s official website if you don’t like in the UK.
– NEVER give away any sensitive information (such as copies of identification) or any payment information to get the vaccine. The vaccine is free, and if you’re asked for this type of information, you’re being scammed.
– If you’re not sure if a message you receive is legitimate, ask for help first.