PEOPLE are being warned not to be caught out by scammers offering access to coronavirus vaccines.

A trading standards group warned people across the UK should be wary of fraudulent messages offering vaccinations.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute said that text messages had been sent out including links to fake NHS websites that asked recipients for bank details, supposedly for verification purposes.

Such messages were first reported at the end of December on the Western Isles of Scotland, but the CTSI says they are “by no means limited to the region”.

Katherine Hart, lead officer at the CTSI, said: “I have been tracking and warning the public about Covid-19-related scams since the beginning of the pandemic, and at every stage of response, unscrupulous individuals have modified their campaigns to defraud the public.

“The vaccine brings great hope for an end to the pandemic and lockdowns, but some only wish to create even further misery by defrauding others.

“The NHS will never ask you for banking details, passwords, or Pin numbers and these should serve as instant red flags.

“Do not provide any information to the scammers, but please also report suspicious messages to Action Fraud, or if in Scotland, Police Scotland, as this provides intelligence and assists authorities in combating scams.”

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In Wales, people are asked not to phone their GP, pharmacy or hospital asking when they will get a vaccine.

When someone is in one of the groups eligible for the vaccine, they will be invited to attend a dedicated clinic which will have been set up to ensure patient safety and that of the healthcare professionals.

Correspondence will come from local health boards and the vaccine is free of charge through the NHS.

People are warned to be alert to scams asking for money or personal information.