POWYS County Council has urged residents to be careful as scammers are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic.

People are vulnerable to scammers as they search for information and answers to questions, the council is reminding residents to remain vigilant against such behaviour.

They have warned that some individuals are posing as door-to-door coronavirus testers, or pretending to be from the Centre Disease Control wanting to ask questions.

“Although there is a huge amount of community spirit and camaraderie at this time, scammers have been known to take advantage of this and knock at your door claiming to offer help,

“Nobody, and specifically not the NHS nor the police, are conducting such tests or questionnaire. If anyone attends your property and claims to be conducting such tests, please call the police on 999” said the council.

Other scams to be aware of involve phishing emails from people pretending to be a trustworthy organisation. These kind of emails will contain links which prompt the reader to divulge personal information such as login details and bank details.

The council said: “Never give these details out, however legitimate the email may seem”.

There are also reports of several ‘coronavirus update’ apps which claim to provide updates on the virus, but upon downloading will lock the phone and display a message demanding the user to pay a sum of money to unlock it.

The council’s advice is: “Phone users are advised to only download apps directly from the Apple Store, or Android Play Store as these are safety checked by the platforms,

 “If you would like to stay up to date with trusted news and advice on the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, check for updates from Public Health Wales, Welsh Government and the World Health Organisation (WHO)”.

They also warned people to look out for fake test kits for the coronavirus as they have been reported in other countries.

“Rogue traders have also been found to be selling counterfeit hand sanitiser and medical equipment, and, although not yet in the UK, other countries have reported illicit sellers offering counterfeit COVID-19 test kits. Please be weary and only by products from a reputable source”.

Councillor James Evans commented on the issue: ““This is a worrying time for us all, and although our intention isn’t to add to people’s anxiety, we want to make sure our residents are fully informed of any potential scams doing the rounds at this difficult time,

 “Unfortunately, there always seem to be a few people who look to take advantage of people at their most vulnerable, but thankfully these individuals are in the minority. It is heartening to see, that despite the uncertainty communities are rallying together to support one another through this crisis,

 “All we ask is that you remain vigilant. Remember, if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t, so don’t take the risk.”

Key points that the council would like you to remember:

· Don’t click on links from email sources you don’t know - this could result in a virus being download onto your computer or device.

· Watch out for emails claiming to be from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus.

· Ignore online offers for vaccinations – these are false.

· Do your homework when it comes to giving donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants a donation in cash, by gift card, or by bank/money transfer, don’t do it.

· Emails claiming to be from the government offering tax rebates to support people throughout these unprecedented times are doing the rounds, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has confirmed.  The emails, which look official, inform the recipient of the rebate amount and request they click a link to receive it. Recipients are then asked personal details, including their credit card number and address. These details allow the scammer to take money directly from the recipient’s bank account.