A number of people have been scammed out of a total of £800k from fraudsters in coronavirus -related scams.
Police say that 21 UK reports have been made by victims of fraud where the virus has been mentioned since the outbreak in January.
Ten of the cases mentioned to Action Fraud have come from people that have attempted to buy protective face masks from online crooks.
One of the victims reported a loss of more than £15k when they made an order of the face masks which were never delivered.
Police have warned that the number of incidents of fraud related to coronavirus are expected to rise as the spread continues in the UK.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Be careful when ordering goods or opening unknown emails in relation to the coronavirus - don’t become a victim of fraud.
“Don’t click on links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details.
“If you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first, and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase.
“If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.
“Always install the latest software and app updates to protect your devices from the latest threats.”
Around 16 people have so far tested positive for the virus in Scotland, which is expected to rise rapidly over the coming days.
