The programme to roll out vaccinations in this country is something we should be proud of, and perhaps an example of what Britain can achieve when there is collective focus, drive and ambition.

At the time of writing, more than 17.5m residents of this country have received at least one dose of a vaccination, paving the way for an unlock that will allow us to return to a way of life that looks more normal.

I cannot wait. Being free to see friends and family safely and seeing businesses thrive once more will be fantastic.

But for many who suffer mental ill health, loneliness or threat because of the lockdown the fact that there is light at the end of this very long tunnel is even more crucial.

Unfortunately, while our frontline emergency services heroes and citizens like Captain Tom Moore have set an example to us all, the pandemic has brought out the worst in those who would rather lie, deceive and steal than help their fellow man.

Lockdown has seen a significant rise in attempted scams, with ActionFraud - the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime – recently reporting that an email attempting to trick people into handing over bank details was reported to it more than 1,000 times in 24 hours.

At the front of the battle to prevent these scams in Devon and Cornwall are Laura Cowie and Grahame Mace of the Devon and Cornwall Cyber Protect Unit.

They have been helping people avoid what can be devastating and increasingly sophisticated attacks.

We see around 600 of these cases a month in Devon and Cornwall but the extent of the problem is probably far greater because so much goes unreported.

Phishing emails - correspondence requesting personal information - are one of the most common practices, and recently we have seen these purporting to come from the NHS, parcel delivery firms or Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, telling people they are eligible for a tax rebate because of coronavirus.

Cyber criminals will use any opportunity to exploit their victims.

It is definitely a case of prevention being better than cure, Laura advises that if you are talking to someone online who you have not met in person as soon as they start asking for money, it’s 99.9 per cent likely that they are trying to defraud you.

She advises pausing and reflecting on the veracity of an email or a conversation before transferring funds.

Scammers will often try to imply urgency and rush would-be victims into making a decision.

Taking a moment to consider the request carefully can save a huge amount of heartbreak and money.

Sadly, there are cases here in Devon and Cornwall of victims having unwittingly given away tens of thousands of pounds and long-running businesses that have folded because they have fallen for a single fraud and paid hundreds of thousands to someone who is not who they say they are.

At the moment vaccine scams are a particular worry, because some, hiding behind websites that appear to be official, are particularly convincing.

Many of you will have already had your vaccine. For those waiting to hear from the NHS it is worth noting that you can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive it.

The vaccine is free of charge and you will not be asked to make a payment.

The NHS will never:

  • ask for a bank account or card details
  • ask for a PIN or banking password
  • arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine
  • ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.

If you have been affected by a scam or have been sent a suspicious email it is worth understanding the role of the National Cyber Security Centre.

It has detected thousands of fraudulent websites, prevented thousands of attacks and issued dozens of alerts about new threats since it was set up last April.

The centre asks members of the public to forward suspicious emails or website links to report@phishing.gov.uk so they can be investigated.

If you are suffering a live cyber attack (in progress), please call ActionFraud on 0300 123 2040 immediately.

More information and advice on avoiding scams is available on their website actionfraud.police.uk

Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to 7726. This free-of-charge short code enables your provider to investigate the origin of the text and take action, if found to be malicious.

It is also worth signing up to receive regular updates from ActionFraud about new scams to look out for.

With a little care and by raising awareness we will thwart those who seek to exploit this pandemic for their own ends.