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1. You don't need to be a genius to predict the scams that are going to come out with the government's test... no wait that's not going well erm... track? No wait the app's not ready... trace? Yes, trace and erm... trace strategy.
I'm living proof. Here's some scam ideas
I'm living proof. Here's some scam ideas
2. I call you pretending to be an NHS contact tracer and tell you that you must stay indoors for 14 days. I try to push you into buying a test kit from me over the phone.
(Plot twist: There is no testing kit, or if there is it's not gonna work)
(Plot twist: There is no testing kit, or if there is it's not gonna work)
3. I call you pretending to be an NHS contact tracer and say you must stay indoors for 14 days no matter what. I ask for workplace details so we can trace any contact you may have had in the area. You tell me the address has been closed for weeks, I rob your office.
4. I email you purporting to be from the NHS, CDC or WHO offering details of COVID-19 patients in exchange for money. You give me your bank details including pin and mother's maiden name, I give you a spreadsheet with extra value.
5. I drop you an email purporting to be from the local contact tracing team informing you that there have been X infections in your area and to click this de/ma-licious link to find out if you've been in contact with the infected.
6. I call from the contact tracing centre informing you that you must not isolate, but as you won't be able to work there is a HMRC/DWP/NHS claim you can submit for £2,000 to cover isolating families. All I require are your details. This is me on the phone right now.
7. I call from the NHS contact tracing centre to ask for donations for an NHS campaign featuring Captain Tom.
8. These are confidence scams. They'll be more effective because the government haven't prepared people for what is going to be a very difficult isolating period. Nobody knows the processes because they've not been given to people, and scammers are primed to take advantage.
9. This was about 2 minutes of writing down scam ideas. I'm sure there are better ones out there. Have you got any tracing scam ideas you'd like to share? Reply below.
