By Daniel Wood
Safer Kirklees is warning people of criminals trying to profit from the virus.
Selfish thieves are using the COVID-19 pandemic to prey on vulnerable people with a variety of awful scams.
Safer Kirklees, a partnership that brings together Kirklees Council, Police, Fire and Rescue authorities, has provided information on the possibilities as imagined by criminals.
Their nine top scams are the following:
- People selling face masks door to door and attempting to enter homes.
- Impersonating Red Cross workers to enter the home to apparently carry out mandatory tests.
- Impersonating willing shoppers – offering to help with shopping in an attempt to enter the victim’s home.
- Individuals going to homes of dog owners and saying they must remove dogs for quarantine due to COVID-19.
- Making people click on a fake gov.uk website and enter personal details by messaging online or via text pretending to be the UK Government.
- Some parents have received an email stating: “As schools with be closing, if you’re entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we’ll make sure you’re supported”. The Department of Education has confirmed that this is a scam email.
- A text message from Gov.uk saying that you have been out of your house twice and will now have to pay a £30 fine.
- A message claiming to be from the mobile company, Three, asking people to click a link to get a three-month refund due to the national lockdown.
- National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) reported a scam involving people knocking on doors and asking for cash for a ‘cure’ (no awareness of this occurring in Kirklees).
Huddersfield Bus Station Problems
In addition to this, Safer Kirklees has said that Huddersfield Bus Station has emerged as a prime potential breeding ground for coronavirus.
Their report said that West Yorkshire Police are reporting that some elderly people are gathering in Huddersfield Bus Station and just sitting chatting in close proximity.
The report reads: “There are also several beggars and street drinkers clearly not using public transport.
“The Bus Station is now the only place indoors where it is possible to sit down and socialise.
“The bus station has been unable to turn off the free wi-fi as this would also turn off other essential systems.
“However, they are looking at upgrading the system so the public wi-fi can be disabled which may discourage some socialising.
“Some elderly/disabled people are getting on the buses just to ride around.”