BEWARE OF FAKE HEALTH WORKERS

While most of the country pulls together, reports of bogus health workers show that a sick minority is out to exploit the crisis.

Con artists pretending to be from the British Red Cross have been knocking on the doors of the elderly and vulnerable, and offering to help with their shopping.

They take the money and don’t return. There have also been reports of cards offering help being put through doors with the British Red Cross branding – these are fakes.

“Please share and make sure your neighbours and any elderly or vulnerable relatives are aware,” say Trading Standards in Suffolk.

Crooks have also been posing as NHS workers to trick their way into homes.

“Some distraction burglars and fraudsters are taking advantage of the current climate by posing as NHS workers testing for Covid-19,” warned the Metropolitan Police.

“Please be advised that this is not a service the NHS are providing, and if someone comes to your door attempting to gain access for this reason they are not to be admitted, and the police are to be called on 999 right away.”

Trading Standards in Buckinghamshire and Surrey have reported on Monday a charlatan from “Health and Safety” demanding money to check for coronavirus contamination.

“At a time when neighbourhoods and communities are coming together to support each other, it is despicable that heartless criminals are exploiting members of the public – including some of our most vulnerable citizens – to line their own pockets,” said Lord Toby Harris, Chair of National Trading Standards.

Everyone, let’s look out for our neighbours and report anything suspicious to the police.

The European Union anti-fraud body OLAF is warning of imported counterfeit face masks. They are being sold for up to three times the normal price and some are aimed at children by using unlicensed pictures from the Frozen films. “On top of being ineffective against the virus, these BEWARE Expensive products also fail to counterfeit masks comply with EU standards, potentially damaging our health,” say the fraud-fighters.