A scam which preys on people’s hope for a coronavirus vaccine and attempts to obtain their bank details has been reported in Dudley borough.

Dudley Council’s scams unit, which is part of Dudley Trading Standards has had a number of reports from concerned residents who have been contacted by scam text messages or emails. The message says they are eligible for the vaccine, but people need to provide their bank details beforehand.

This is a scam. The coronavirus vaccine, which is being rolled out across the country by the NHS, is completely free of charge. No one will be asked to pay for the vaccine or share their bank details.

People are urged to ignore any messages and under no circumstances share their personal details with anyone. Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said:

"The coronavirus vaccine is the glimmer of hope we have all been waiting for and I’m really pleased to see that the programme is rolling out quickly across the borough and indeed the country.

"Unfortunately, there are dishonest people out there who see this is as opportunity to prey on people’s anxieties and hope for receiving the vaccine and will try and trick people out of their money.

"Although we’ve had reports of the scam as a text message or email, people should also be on their guard for phone calls or even people turning up on their doorstep. Please do not respond to any requests for bank details in exchange for the vaccine and report to the unit immediately."

When it is your turn for the vaccine, you will either be contacted by your GP or receive a letter from the NHS inviting you for the vaccine – absolutely free of charge. Karen Wright, director of public health at Dudley Council, said:

"The local authority, NHS and other local communities are working really hard to make sure that residents are well informed about the benefits of vaccinations and are able to ask questions about any concerns they may have.

"These scams really undermine the great work of communities and staff in trying to support the roll out of vaccinations to protect our communities."

If anyone is concerned that they or someone they know may have fallen victim to scams, they should contact the scams unit on 01384 818871 or via trading.standards@dudley.gov.uk. If anyone thinks they have shared their bank details in error, they should contact their bank immediately.