Citizens are suggested to be vigilant about a new Covid-19 text scam about fake “crisis subsidies” of 1,500 euros.
Reports of fraud dramatically increase the pandemic, with dozens of scams circulating in Scotland.
Now the Highland Council has gained reports this week of a new text scam that provides fake grants.
Individuals will receive a text message before they are asked to verify their eligibility by clicking on a link containing “gov.crisis-grant”, an unofficial government online page, as a component of an attempt to protect non-public monetary information.
Mark McGinty, trading standards team leader at Highland Council, said: “In this type of scam, the scammers are hoping that those in our community who are in real need of financial assistance will click on the link.
“The link clearly isn’t a link to an official government site and by clicking on it the recipient runs the risk of opening up their personal and financial data, which will likely be used for criminal purposes with no thought for the harm it may cause the individual concerned.”
Police have also launched an appeal in the Western Isles after fraudsters used the government’s guidelines on face coverings as a way to target islanders through a new phone scam.
The nuisance call involves the caller impersonating a police officer to frighten people into thinking they have broken the law by not wearing a face mask.
Islander Stephen Campbell was one of many affected in the area. The con man told him that Alan MacDonald was PC from Stornoway Police Station and that he was investigating reports that Campbell had gone to department stores without a mask, which required a list of the facilities he had visited in the last seven days.
Campbell, who won the call at 11:25 p.m., described online that the guy was “very competitive and insistent” and had a “threatening attitude.”
He wrote, “Concerned about the elderly or vulnerable who would possibly end up terrified of these things.”
A police spokesman said: “Calls are not authentic and we advise others not to give data or report calls to the police.”
Other scams have included other people posing as local council staff, who provide buying groceries to isolate themselves or people, taking their cash but without returning.
Rebel investors have also filed a cleanup to disinfect the roads, houses and even the doorbells of the virus.
Marjorie Gibson, chief operating officer of consumeradvice.scot, said: “Scammers intentionally use the coronavirus crisis to attack other people for monetary purposes.
“Their disgusting movements can have long-term consequences for people, financially and emotionally.
“Scams can seem very convincing and may fall into them.
“The symptoms of caution to consider are unsolicited calls, emails, or text messages, or to be asked to provide non-public or security information.”
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