Alert as people hit by yet another text scam

People across Tayside and Fife are being hit by yet another scam trying to cash in on the coronavirus pandemic.

A text message purporting to offer a tax refund due to lockdown has been highlighted as the latest in a relentless wave of attempts to use Covid-19 to defraud the public.

It comes less than a week after the public was warned about a sick text offering a coronavirus vaccine in return for bank details.

Officials are deeply concerned people may be falling victim to the scammers at a time of increased vulnerability.

F i f e ’s protective services chairman, Councillor Ross Vettraino, said he did not have the words to describe his contempt for those responsible.

“It would seem there are no depths to which the scammers will not stoop to implement their fraudulent acts,” he said.

“I realise it must be so difficult for so many people, who are currently s u ff e r i n g financial hardship, to reject an apparent opportunity to ease their financial difficulties.

“But the message is clear – never divulge personal details, particularly banking details, to anyone.”

A number of people have received the text telling them “we have been instructed by the government to issue a tax refund off (sic) £230 due to the recent lockdown”.

It then asks the recipient to visit a website which requests banking details.

This is supposedly to verify and transfer the tax refund payment.

Katherine Hart, lead officer with the Chartered Tr a d i n g Standards Institute, said the websites may appear almost indistinguishable from the genuine article, making the fraud convincing.