Fraud in Forres and Moray: RBS issues urgent scam alert

The Royal Bank of Scotland has issued an urgent alert as vaccination scams emerge as a new type of fraud.

Criminals have begun sending the public messages which contain links to various fake NHS websites.

The aim is to dupe people into completing bogus application forms to register for the vaccine.

These forms require bank details as well as other personal information.

Jason Costain, head of fraud at RBS, stated that data showed a 400 per cent increase in scams during the original lockdown last Spring.

Therefore, the bank is acting now to raise awareness of the latest developments.

Mr Costain said: "You are now more likely to be a victim of fraud in the UK than any other crime.

"During last year’s lockdown criminals took advantage of the fact that more people were working remotely and online.

"It therefore makes sense to take some simple steps to make yourself and your family more fraud-roof."

RBS has circulated the following tips on how to protect yourself:

• Try to shop online with websites that you know and trust using MasterCard or VISA.

• If you see a deal online that looks too good to be true from a website you’ve never heard of, do your homework. That means check what the refund policy is; see whether there is a landline to call if there is a problem; search for negative reviews.

• If an online seller asks you to send money direct from your bank account to theirs it is probably a scam. If they fail to deliver the goods you will lose your money.
• Don’t give away your personal and bank details too easily. Criminals use online competitions or offers of free shopping vouchers as a way of harvesting information from their next victims.

• Be highly sceptical of unsolicited phone calls, texts or emails asking for personal or bank details.
• Remember that banks will never ask for a full PIN or password, card reader codes, or ask you to move money from your account.
• Remember that the police will never ask for personal details either.

• Don't recycle passwords and definitely use a unique password for your bank accounts and your email account.