A number of scams have emerged across the country in the past few weeks - and members of the public are being warned to be extra vigilant.
As scammers try to take advantage of the most vulnerable, text messages are being sent out asking people to share their bank details to apply for a vaccine or click on links to access business grants.
Here is a list of the most common Covid-19 scams you should be aware of to avoid falling victim to them.
Vaccine scam
Reports have emerged of people receiving text messages informing them they are ‘eligible’ to apply for a vaccine and then asking them to provide bank details.
The NHS says the vaccine "will always be available free of charge" and no-one from the health service will ever ask you to share your bank details to confirm your ID.
Tax refund scam
Scammers have been sending out text messages claiming to be from HMRC inviting people to claim for a 'grant'.
DVLA scam
Similarly, text messages have been sent out from the people claiming to work for the DVLA. These ask people to click on a link to claim "an outstanding vehicle tax refund from an overpayment".
Business grant scam
Scammers are also looking to take advantage of businesses applying for business grants.
However, you should remember that anyone applying for a grant will always get a unique reference number from a legitimate source, such as the local authority, once they’ve filled in an application, and this will always be quoted in any correspondence.
Any unsolicited correspondence asking for bank details should be ignored.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here