Amazon and eBay have removed NHS lanyards from their platforms, amid growing fears that people are buying them to impersonate key workers.
In the UK, NHS workers have been given certain privileges, including exclusive access to supermarkets ahead of the public.
However, it is believed that some people are buying NHS lanyards in the hopes of taking advantage of these privileges.
According to the Health Service Journal (HSJ), one NHS lanyard was sold on eBay just seven times up to March 21, but sales skyrocketed to over 40 in the following week.
An eBay spokesperson said: “For almost two months we have been introducing increasingly tougher measures against people who attempt to use eBay to exploit others — particularly in the current climate.
"We have removed these items and will take any necessary enforcement action against sellers who continue to try and list these sorts of items.
“Our monitoring and enforcement team, which has recently more than doubled in size, is working around the clock to block and remove listings like these, and we continue to work closely with authorities, including Trading Standards, to ensure our site remains a safe place to buy and sell.”
NHS England has welcomed eBay and Amazon’s changes.
Ruth May, NHS England chief nursing officer said: “I welcome Amazon and eBay’s swift action in taking these fake NHS lanyards down — but it is very sad that there are chancers out there trying to make a quick buck off the back of the generosity shown towards our NHS staff.
“Being an NHS staff member is a huge honour, but it requires dedicating your career and much of your life to serving the public — even in the most difficult of circumstances, like the unprecedented global health threat we face today.”
Photo from www.digitalid.co.uk.
