Beware this COVID survey scam

The survey – which is doing the rounds around the country and falsely purports to be sanctioned by a local authority - asks residents to provide details of how they have coped with the pandemic.

Participants are told they will be paid £25 if they take part in the survey and are asked to provide their personal details including their name, address, date of birth and National Insurance Number.

The details of one unwitting victim elsewhere in the country were used by the fraudsters to claim numerous crisis grants.

Noel Adamson, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Head of Audit and Governance, said: “We would once again urge people to be on the alert for scams such as these, purporting to be from reputable organisations such as local authorities.

“Their aim is to try to get the recipient to reveal personal information such as passwords and financial details – sometimes by clicking on a hyperlink or opening an attachment.

“The fraudsters then use these details to try to steal the recipient’s money from their bank account, or, in this particular case, to make fraudulent claims for grants.

“Always beware approaches like these which ask for your personal details, and if you receive a suspicious-looking social media, text or email message, never click on any attachment or link.”

For more information about scams visit Action Fraud – the national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre - at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.