Police warn against potential coronavirus fraud

Police are warning folk to be aware of fraud relating to the outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus in the UK.

Thought there have been no reports of this type of crime so far in Orkney, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has been made aware of 21 cases where the threat of coronavirus was allegedly used to elicit money from members of the public.

Ten of these reports involved folk attempting to buy protective face masks from fraudulent sellers. In one case, a customer lost £15,000 as a result.

There have also been reports of coronavirus-related phishing emails attempting to trick people into opening malicious attachments or reveal sensitive information.

For more information on how to shop safely online, the bureau recommend visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk/shoponlinesafely

For further details on protecting your digital security, folk are advised to visit www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/securing-your-devices