Author Topic: Covid related Scams  (Read 11573 times)

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Offline Ian

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Covid related Scams
« on: March 25, 2020, 11:37:02 am »
Scams circulating targeted at fears over Covid
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2020, 11:48:12 am »
@AgeCymru
During this worrying time, it's shocking to see the number of scams circulating. Be sceptical if you receive an email, text or WhatsApp message about the Coronavirus, and never click on any attachments or links. #Scams

🛑 Read our avoiding scams guide - https://bit.ly/ACAvoidingScams

Excellent advice
What this guide is about
What is a scam? 5
Types of scam
Overview 6
Doorstep scams 8
Mail scams 12
Phone scams 14
Email and online scams 17
Relationship scams 20
Identity theft 22
Investment and pension scams 25
Avoiding and dealing with scams
Checking credentials 27
Reporting a scam 29
Top tips to remember 30
Useful organisations 31
.



Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2020, 04:03:22 pm »
Police are warning of a text message and email scam revolving around the coronavirus.

It sees people receive a text message or email from scammers saying that they have left their house three times on the same day, and are in breach of Government guidlines.

The message states that a fine notice of £30 will issued to them in the post.

North Wales Police is warning people that this is fake and is a scam, and that if anyone receives a message of this nature to report it to Action Fraud.


Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2020, 12:04:10 pm »
BBC Trending
Coronavirus: Here's how you can stop bad information from going viral
27 March 2020
Coronavirus misinformation is flooding the internet and experts are calling on the public to practise "information hygiene". What can you do to stop the spread of bad information?

1. Stop and think
You want to help family and friends and keep them in the loop. So when you receive fresh advice - whether by email, WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter - you might quickly forward it on to them.

But experts say the number one thing you can do to halt misinformation is to simply stop and think.

If you have any doubts, pause, and check it out further.   cont   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-51967889

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2020, 10:33:17 am »
With a record number of people now working from home, criminals will look for every opportunity to exploit cyber security vulnerabilities in an attempt to steal valuable information.

While working from home is not new to many of us, but the coronavirus (COVID 19) means organisations are using home working on a greater scale, and for longer periods. The below resources have been published by the National Cyber Security Centre and are designed to help organisations support their staff working from home. It also provides advice on spotting COVID-19 scam emails:

NWPolice
❗ Coronavirus-related scams are on this rise.

List of reported scams
Here’s where you can get the latest information on how to protect yourself:
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/covid19

Offline snowcap

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2020, 12:14:18 am »
Had this sent to me yesterday, so true and realistic.
 Here are the official coronavirus guidelines.
! Basically you cant Leave the house for any reason, But if you have to then you can
2 Masks are useless, but maybe you have to wear one,it can save you,it is useless. but maybe it is mandatory as well.
3 Stores are closed, except those that are open.
4 You should not go to hospital unless you have yo go there. Same applies to doctors, you should only go there in case of emergency, provided you are not to sick.
5 The virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that sometimes it actually leads to a global disaster.
6 Gloves won't help but they can still help
7 Every one needs to stay home , but it's important to GO OUT.
8 There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarket but there are many things missing when you go there in the evening but not in the morning Sometimes
9 The virus as no effect on children except those it effects
10 Animals are not affected but there is a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no  one had been tested, plus a few tigers here and there
11 You will have many symptoms when you are sick but you can also get sick without getting symptoms, have symptoms without being sick,or be contagious without having symptoms. Oh my.
12 In order not to get sick, you have to eat well and exercise but eat whatever you have on hand and its better not to go out well,but no
13 it's better to get some fresh air but you get looked at very wrong when you get some fresh air and most importantly, you don;t  go to parks or walk' don't sit down, except that you can do that if you are old but not for too long or if you are pregnant(but not to old)
14 You can't go to retirement homes, but you have to take care of the elderly and bring food and medication
15 If you are sick you cant go out but you can go to the Pharmacy
16 You can get food from a restaurant delivered to the house, which may have been prepared by people who didn't wear a mask or gloves but you have to have your groceries decontaminated outside for three hours Pizza too?
17 Every disturbing article or disturbing interview starts with "I don;t want to trigger panic, but..."
18 You can't see your o[older mother or Grandmother but you can get a taxi and meet an older taxi driver
19 You can walk around with a friend but not with your family if they don't live under the same roof
20 you are safe if you maintain the appropriate distance but you cant go out with friends or strangers at the safe social distance
21 The virus remains active on different surfaces for two hours,no,four,no,six,no,we didn't say hours'maybe days?but it takes a damp environment. Oh no not necessarily/
22 The virus stays in the air-well no,or yes,maybe,  Especially in a closed room,in one hour a sick person can infect ten,so if it falls,all our children were already infected at school before it was closed but remember if you stay at the recommended social distance,however in certain circumstances you should maintain a greater distance,which, studies show, the virus can travel further, maybe.
23 We count the number of deaths but we don't know how many people are infected as we have only tested so far those who were "almost dead" to find out if
 that's what they died of ...
24 we have no treatment, except that there may be one that apparently is not dangerous unless you take too much (which is the case with all medications).
25 We should stay locked Message ended,hope it helps.
 up until the virus disappears but it will only disappear if we achieve collective immunity, so when it circulates...but we must no longer be locked up for that.

  Message ended, hope it helps.

 
 

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2020, 09:55:20 am »
When I have some time I'll go through that post and dissect it. It's typical FB misinformation, and it can do a lot of harm.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2020, 12:09:31 pm »
First off, I'm not slating Snowcap for posting this. I fully appreciate Snowcap is only re-posting what he's been sent but if this is out in the wild then I think it ought to be dissected.

I started to go through the post and discovered that only two statements in it are actually true. Several points are repeated several times, presumably to make the list longer: 1, 7, 13, 19, 20 and 25 are all garbled versions of the same point, for example, the rules about going out.

But more worryingly, it could be taken seriously by those without access to accurate information. It is, in fact spreading misinformation.

One nasty example of this is No 9:

9 The virus as no effect on children except those it effects

It's always been known it can affect young children. A five year old in the UK died from it last week. Putting this out in public could be both hurtful and insensitive for those with young children who might be affected. 

Most of the post is sub-par gibberish, and the only reason I'm even taking time to examine it is because the world is currently facing the most dangerous pathogen within living memory and garbage like this does nothing to help.

Buried in the rubbish, however, are a couple of salient points:

24 we have no treatment, except that there may be one that apparently is not dangerous unless you take too much (which is the case with all medications).

The first phrase is correct in that there is no cure. There are treatments, but we cannot and never have been able to cure illnesses caused by viruses. That's why there's no cure for the common cold.

We came back from Paris last year and we both caught a nasty viral thing, which gave me a bout of a pneumonia-like illness. Fortunately, it was bacterial Pneumonia, so it was sorted with antibiotics. Covid_19 causes viral pneumonia.

Another aspect of the post which is accurate is this:

23 We count the number of deaths but we don't know how many people are infected as we have only tested so far those who were "almost dead" to find out if that's what they died of 

We should be testing far, far more people, because that's the only effective way to limit the spread.

It concerns me that restaurants and cafes are being allowed to do 'take out' services. I suspect that's a real risk, since we know people can be symptomless and yet be able to spread the illness.

The only 'cure' for Covid-19 is our own immune system. It's that which can kill us by overreacting and creating a cytokine storm, an immune response to a pathogen which, in this case, can deluge the lungs with dead tissue, stopping us breathing.

This is what is making this so deadly.  The answer is to stay as healthy as possible by keeping our immune systems in top condition. All the evidence points to exercise, fresh air, building muscle mass and laughter as being the four key aspects, plus eating a decent diet.  Steve's jokes are proving  vital part of the laughter element, but walking and doing strength exercises is also extremely good for you.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Dave

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2020, 02:35:27 pm »
Snowcap's post wasn't a scam, it was a joke explanation of the nonsense that some of the "rules" actually are.

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2020, 03:09:49 pm »
I realised that.  The problem is I doubt many would find it funny, and it could do some real damage.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline snowcap

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2020, 10:39:35 pm »
Just to clarify why i put it on, it was sent as a text among a lot of jokes and funny video's and i couldn't read it to my wife for laughing, i must admit i split my sides and never took into account some might take it serious. I apologise whole heartedly if it as upset anyone but that was not my intention. Once again sorry.

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2020, 10:37:02 am »
Not your fault, Snowcap; the reason I reacted as I did with it is because we're currently seeing a lot of folk who swallow this sort of thing completely and get very stressed out about it.  I'm dealing with some people who believe there's no pandemic at all and others who believe it's a plot by the Democrats to stop Trump being re-elected. You'd probably be surprised at the sheer volume of conspiracy theories that some folk seem to swallow.

In here none of our regular contributors would give it credence;  but we're being read by around twenty times as many folk who never post.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #12 on: April 20, 2020, 10:46:46 am »
I've had e-mails with all types of conspiracy theories but just delete them as there is no evidence to support the theory.        After this pandemic has ended though there must be some type of World Government investigation into the cause of the pandemic and then be prepared for any eventuality in the future

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #13 on: April 20, 2020, 11:08:10 am »
By coincidence ............

BBC Trending
Coronavirus: Here's how you can stop bad information from going viral
By Flora Carmichael and Marianna Spring
14 minutes ago

Coronavirus misinformation is flooding the internet.

Meanwhile, experts are calling on the public to practise "information hygiene". So what can you do to stop the spread of bad information online?
cont    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-52326415

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid related Scams
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2020, 10:13:56 am »
Trading Standards issue warning over PPE cold-callers
Anglesey Council is urging businesses and residents to make sure any purchases are legitimate and safe.

Anyone buying PPE - which includes items such as medical grade facemasks, gloves, aprons and coveralls - should check if any individuals or businesses are legitimate.

PPE destined for any key workers or front line staff must be checked to ensure it complies with the required safety standards.

People should also be alert for any companies selling COVID-19 virus testing kits, as these should not be available to the general public and are only offered by the NHS.

"We are also aware that some PPE products offered for sale with a BSI certification for safety, may not be genuine. It is important to check the authenticity of any BSI certificate and you should visit BSI VerifEye Directory."

Anyone who is approached by a cold-caller offering to sell PPE or virus testing kits and who is unsure or has any concerns, should e-mail tradingstandards@anglesey.gov.uk.                         ref DP