With the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine will underway, thousands of people in Wolverhampton are receiving the life-saving jab every week.
Disappointingly, however, there have been reports of people receiving suspicious calls and text messages offering the Covid-19 vaccination.
People are reminded that Covid-19 vaccines are only available on the NHS. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, or a GP surgery local to you to receive your vaccine. Remember, the vaccine is free of charge. At no point will you be asked to pay.
The NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details or for your PIN or banking password, and will not arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine.
The NHS will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "It is a real shame that people are using the hope that the vaccine offers to scam local people.
"Remember that the NHS will never ask you to pay for the vaccine and they will never just turn up at your house unannounced. Please wait to be contacted by a local GP or via a letter from the NHS booking service.”
Supt Simon Inglis of Wolverhampton Police said: “Much of the pandemic has brought out the very best in human nature, but occasionally we have seen the worst in human nature – scammers trying to extract money or personal information in this way is a depressing example of this.
“Please make sure you and your family don't fall victim to them.”
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft you should report this directly to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Where the victim is vulnerable, and particularly if you are worried that someone has or might come to your house, report it to the Police online or by calling 101.
Zebra Access has created a British Sign Language video warning about scams related to the Covid-19 vaccine which can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djEszwVGJdY&feature=youtu.be.
The latest information and guidance around coronavirus is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus and on the council’s own coronavirus pages at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/coronavirus. Information about the vaccine can be found at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidvaccine. Further details of the lockdown restrictions currently in place, and the answers to frequently asked questions, are available at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidalert.
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