Pro PK
"Fake stores" and "fake police officers", alleged "vaccinations" and "fake health department employees"
Criminals are currently exploiting the fear of the coronavirus in a variety of ways. They are offering medical devices and face masks in fake stores that customers never receive. Or they pretend to be infected relatives in order to scam money from their victims. In other variants, they pretend to be public officials who want to test older people in particular for the Covid-19 virus. Calls from fraudsters offering coronavirus vaccines from well-known manufacturers over the phone are the latest scam: No unannounced coronavirus tests will be carried out at your doorstep! What's more, there are no vaccines available to buy on the open market!
Beware of alleged vaccine sellers:
- Do not engage in a lengthy conversation with a supposed vaccine salesperson, but hang up immediately.
- Do not let strangers into your home. Ask strangers to come back at a later time when someone you trust is present.
- Defend yourself vigorously against intrusive visitors, speak to them loudly or call for help. In the event of an acute threat, call the police on 110.
- Report such incidents to the police.
The vaccination structures set up in North Rhine-Westphalia consist exclusively of vaccination centers, mobile teams for care in old people's homes and residential homes and independent vaccinations of hospital staff.
Further information on the coronavirus vaccination can be found on the page of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs in NRW.
Beware of people who want to carry out corona tests:
- If you are asked to pay for tests over the phone, hang up. Contact your family doctor or the public health department and ask whether a test has been ordered for you.
- Look carefully at visitors through the peephole or window before opening the door. Only open the door when the locking bar is in place.
- Do not hand over any money to supposed testers at your front door. Do not be put off by threats either.
- Do not let strangers into your home. Ask strangers to come back at a later time when someone you trust is present.
- Defend yourself vigorously against intrusive visitors, speak to them loudly or call for help. In the event of an acute threat, call the police on 110.
- Report such incidents to the police.
Further important information can be found here and in the press release from the LKA NRW on fraudsters and tricksters who pretend to be doctors or medical professionals.
