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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Neil Shaw

Warning over fake NHS PCR test text

People are being warned to look out for a text message that appears to be from the NHS, telling you to order a PCR Covid testing kit.

According to Which? the text message is actually part of a type of fraud called smishing.

Links in smishing attacks lead to fake sites that encourage you to input your personal and bank details.

Which? says that while the NHS does contact people by text, it would only ask you to order a test via the official GOV.UK site ( https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test ).

A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson told Which?: "Whilst it is possible for criminals to fake official phone numbers, they cannot fake official website addresses.

"We would encourage anyone with concerns about a phone call, text message or email they have received, in relation to test and trace, to check the website address being provided to you carefully.

"If possible, type the official address, which will be https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk followed by the unique characters given to you, directly into your browser.

"To check what is and isn’t going to be asked, visit the NHS.UK site here. If you think you have been sent a scam message, please report it to Action Fraud. If people receive an email which they’re not quite sure about, they can forward it to the National Cyber Security Centre’s Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) via report@phishing.gov.uk

"To report a spam text forward the message to Ofcom’s spam texting service on 7726."

For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.

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