Bogus callers target West Yorkshire homes with fake 'coronavirus vaccine'

West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS) said it was one of a rising number of scams reported as the country heads towards a sixth week of lockdown.

In one case, the team said they had been made aware of bogus callers attending an address and selling a vaccine for Covid-19.

In their guidance, WYTS said: "There is NO vaccine yet for COVID-19, nor are testing kits available to buy on the general market.

"If you have anyone approaching you, either at home, on the phone or anywhere else, trying to sell you a vaccine, a cure, or a testing kit, please know this is a scam.

"Please only seek medical advice from your doctor."

The list also includes a Morrisons Voucher scam, where social media users are sent a link purporting to offer free shopping vouchers. On this site, they are invited to enter personal account details, which could then be used to allow scammers access to the user's accounts.

There have also been reports of scam letters and calls addressed to vulnerable and elderly residents, urging them to pay large sums of money to avoid court action for unpaid council tax bills, as well as local pest control companies distributing leaflets to communities suggesting that they will be able to "kill off" Covid-19 by disinfecting driveways.

WYTS also said they had seen phishing emails sent out pretending to be from Bradford Council's 'Covid Response Team'.

Sharing the list of scams with residents in the Wakefield district, Crime Prevention Officer Mark Isherwood urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspected scams to trading standards by emailing [email protected].

How can I avoid scams?

ActionFraud provides advice on avoiding scams from phishing emails to doorstep traders.

They advise residents to refuse access to unexpected visitors, especially if they feel pressured. Where possible, ask for identification, and ask the tradesperson if you can take their photo - if they are legitimate, they probably won't mind.

If a letter or email is suspicious, you should not click a link or phone a number. Instead, contact the company via the details listed in the phone book or on their website.

For more information, visit ActionFraud or the West Yorkshire Joint Services website.

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