Criminals are using now familiar terms such as ‘Coronavirus’, ‘Covid-19’, ‘NHS’, and ‘WHO’ to try to trick, scam or pressure people into revealing personal information or financial details. You could be approached by phone, text message, email, and social media or in person at your home. We have become aware that Spoofed emails are being sent pretending to be from Government organisations with a Gov.uk email address being used.
Common email subjects which are being used include:
- Rebates
- Grants
- Fines
- Support
- Covid-19
The Department for Communities will not:
- Send emails asking you to click on anything
- Contact you ‘out of the blue’
- Ask you for money to use our services
Remember, if you are sending personal information to us make sure that you are using the correct phone number, email or postal address. If in doubt, check.
How do I spot a scam?
Consider these points:
Seems to good to be true
Contacted out of the blue
Asked for personal details
Money demanded
What to do if I think I am being scammed?
Stop - take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information.
Challenge - Could it be fake? Its okay to reject, refuse or ignore requests. Only criminals will try to rush you.
Protect - Contact your bank immediately if you have fallen for a scam.
Who can I report scams to?
Call PSNI on 101 and if you think that the Department for Communities identity has been used in the scam contact our Departmental Security Unit at dsu@communities-ni.gov.uk
Take time to read up on how you can protect yourself from fraud, see below.