Covid-19 vaccine: Hertfordshire police alert elderly people to fee scam

Hertfordshire police have been alerted to a new scam whereby fraudsters contact elderly people and claim they can arrange to get them the Covid-19 vaccine for a fee.

A spokesman for the constabulary said: "The NHS is the only organisation that has access to the vaccine and will never ask for payment."

Anyone who is contacted by the scammers is advised to ignore them. Currently, the NHS is contacting people eligible for the vaccine by phone only.

The phased vaccination programme will see patients aged 80 and over who are already attending hospital as an outpatient, and those who are being discharged home after a hospital stay, among the first to receive the life-saving jab.

Care home providers are being asked to begin booking staff in to vaccination clinics. GPs are expected to be able to begin vaccinating care home residents.

Any appointments not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from the coronavirus.

If you are asked for money in exchange for the inoculation, this is not a genuine call. If you have been a victim of fraud, call 0300 123 2040 or visit www.actionfraud.police.uk.