June 25th 2021
The latest in a long line of COVID-19 related scams has emerged with emails claiming to be sent by the NHS, regarding applying for a Digital Passport which can be used to prove vaccination status for ‘travelling safely and freely around the world without having to self-isolate.
The link takes visitors to a fake NHS website that request payment details.
Authentic vaccination passes may be obtained free of charge, and only through the NHS app or at https://gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad
The authentic NHS COVID Pass enables you to share your COVID-19 vaccination results in a secure way. It allows you to show others that you’ve had a full course of the COVID-19 vaccine when travelling abroad to some countries or territories.
From 21 June, the NHS COVID Pass has also allowed individuals to demonstrate their COVID-19 status at a series of event trials in England. Nobody will be asked to use the NHS COVID Pass in a domestic use setting unless they have been invited to take part in the Events Research Programme trials.
Advice
- Always check the sender email address for authenticity
- Check that the email addresses you by name, and not just your email address. ‘Dear Sir/Madam’, ‘Dear Friend’, ‘Dear Colleague’ or nothing at all are all indications that an email is fraudulent
- Don’t take anything at face value
- If in doubt, call or contact the organisation from which the communication claims to have been sent, via contact details you know to be correct. In the case of NHS or other government emails, check the official website on an address you have typed in, not following a link (which may be fraudulent)
What you can use your authentic pass for
You can show your NHS COVID Pass as proof of your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad.
It is likely that in addition to your NHS COVID Pass you will need to follow additional rules when travelling abroad. For example, you may still be required to:
- Show other proof like a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result
- Isolate on arrival
You should:
- Check the entry requirements for your destination country on the UK foreign travel advice pages
- Get up-to-date information from the website of your destination country
The government is working with the devolved administrations to ensure everyone in the UK is able to show their COVID-19 status.
People taking part in event trials as part of the Events Research Programme will also be requested to use the NHS COVID Pass.
