People are being asked to be vigilant after an emergence of scam emails about the new Omicron Covid variant.
Scammers are already sending fake emails about the new strain in an attempt to steal personal data and bank details.
The scams - flagged to Which? by members of the public - see fraudsters impersonating the NHS and offering ‘a free Omicron PCR today to avoid restrictions.'
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Scammers have used similar tactics throughout the global pandemic, often preying on vulnerable people via phone calls, texts and e-mails.
The latest scam falsely claims that the new Omicron variant requires 'new test kits' and invites victims to a fake website.
Which? explained : "But clicking the link takes you to the true web address – ‘healt-service-nh.com’ – which is a copycat of the NHS website set up just days ago.
"This fake site asks for your full name, date of birth, address, mobile, and email address – more than enough to attempt identity fraud.
"As well as requesting a payment of £1.24 for ‘delivery’, it even invites you to provide your mother’s maiden name, as many customers use basic security questions to secure their email and bank accounts."
"The fake email was also sent to a Which? member from ‘NHS Customer Service’ using the email address ‘contact-nhs[AT]nhscontact.com’. This email address may seem authentic, but it has nothing to do with the genuine NHS."
Which? says it has reported this website to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) but other scam texts, emails and calls related to Omicron are likely to follow suit.
But what should you do if you receive a scam e-mail?
Which? advises to 'never follow the links in unsolicited texts or emails' and to check the details with your GP surgery or NHS service if the message claims to be from the NHS.
They also recommend:
- Forwarding phishing emails to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk
- Reporting fake websites to the NSCS
- Forwarding fake texts to 7726 (this spells SPAM on the keyboard)
- Using the Which? Scam Sharer tool and signing up for the free Which? Scam Alerts
Which? shared a copy of the fake email with their contacts at the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.
A spokesperson said: “The mandate of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority is to prevent fraud against the NHS budget.
"In pursuit of that goal, we are delighted to also support publicity campaigns that help members of the public, including health workers and patients, protect themselves from fraud too.
"We applaud the efforts of Which? to fight back against the fraudsters.
"The same criminals will target individuals and the NHS, especially during testing times."
