Staffordshire residents urged to remain wary amid surge of coronavirus scams
People across Staffordshire have been urged to remain vigilant after a surge of coronavirus-related scams in the county.
Trading Standards bosses have called on people to watch out for email, telephone and doorstep scams amid the virus.
It comes after fake emails from HMRC and messages about school meals funding, supermarket delivery and gift cards.
Gill Heath, cabinet member for communities at Staffordshire County Council, said: "In times of crisis such as the coronavirus outbreak, we often see the best of people, but unfortunately we do get to see the worst in people as well.
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"Over the last few weeks we have seen a huge spike in cyber-crime and fraud and the number of scams with criminals using a variety of tactics to gain our trust and get personal information and our money.
"It’s really vital that we stay vigilant and at the same time watch out for elderly relatives who are particularly vulnerable."
Anyone receiving emails which seem suspicious have been asked to not share any personal details – or click on links or attachments.
Councillor Heath added: "We’re simply asking people to be vigilant, watch out for elderly relatives and to report any scams to our Information Governance Team or to Citizens Advice.
"We appreciate that many scams can appear genuine but if people are in any doubt at all they should ignore the offer, delete the email or hang up the phone if it’s a telephone call.
"People should always be wary about any unsolicited approach."
Residents should be weary of unsolicited phone calls asking or personal information as well – with people urged to look out for their vulnerable neighbours.
People should report any scams to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or by visiting www.citizensadvice.org.uk
