Fraudsters using vaccine appointments in bid to extort money

Fraudsters are using the vaccine in an attempt to extort money, according to the Scottish Government.

Some people have been contacted over the phone or by email, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Tuesday.

“I’m afraid we are becoming aware about some scam emails and messages which are being sent out about vaccine appointments,” Sturgeon said.

She reiterated that the vaccine in Scotland is free and NHS Scotland would not ask for money.

She added: “In addition, NHS Scotland is not using email to contact people, so if you receive an email about your vaccination appointment it will be a fake so please do not interact with it.”

Scotland’s national consumer advice service welcomed the advice the First Minister on avoiding vaccine scams.

Marjorie Gibson, head of operations with Advice Direct Scotland, which runs consumeradvice.scot, said: “It is despicable that scammers are trying to take advantage of the vaccine programme and preying on anxious Scots.

“Everyone should follow the First Minister’s warning and never supply their bank details in connection with the coronavirus vaccine.”

Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer said it was “absolutely sickening” to hear that fraudsters were targeting the vaccination programme.

“He said: “It is the behaviour of a scumbag to take money from people at that level of extreme vulnerability.

“It’s overwhelmingly elderly vulnerable people who are being scammed like this. Under absolutely no circumstances will anyone in Scotland or across the UK have to pay for this vaccine.

“There is no need at any point to either exchange money or to give any of your financial details for it. We need to see some really heavy enforcement action there, we need to see prosecutions if people can be caught for it because it is terrible, criminal behaviour.”