Meningitis scam alert as Brits receive fake NHS texts amid outbreak

Scammers are using fear and uncertainty around the meningitis outbreak to target Brits and steal their money.

A meningitis outbreak began in Kent earlier this month, sparking a national emergency with two people dying from the infection following an outbreak linked to Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury. As of 22 March, there were a total of 20 confirmed cases and nine suspected cases of meningococcal disease, and the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed that there have been no new cases of infection in the past 24 hours.

In response to the outbreak, the UKHSA, together with NHS England, coordinated a vaccination program against the specific strain of meningitis known as MenB that caused the outbreak and offered it to select groups of people, including those in close contact with the 29 confirmed or suspected cases, University of Kent students resident at the Canterbury campus, and anyone who worked at the Club Chemistry nightclub between 5 March and 15 March.

But in the wake of the pandemic, scammers are reportedly trying to exploit the fear many people feel about their health in a bid to steal their money by posing as the NHS.

According to a woman named Caroline on TikTok who regularly posts scam alerts and advice on her account, some people have reported receiving fake text messages from people claiming to be from the NHS asking them to book in for the MenB vaccine.

These messages seem “incredibly persuasive” and at a time when people are panicking about their health – especially with the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown so fresh on people’s minds – more than a few people are likely to fall for them.

But there is an easy way to make sure the message is real. The NHS will never ask you to pay for the vaccine; so if you are told in a text or email to give up your money in exchange for the MenB vaccine, this is not a real message.

Caroline said: “Scammers are using the latest meningitis outbreak to scam people and it’s incredibly convincing, so you need to be on the lookout. Whenever there’s a health issue in the UK, scams always rise, whether it’s Covid, monkeypox or meningitis. Thousands of fake NHS messages have been reported during previous health campaigns and people have lost hundreds of pounds.

“So what’s happening now is make sure you don’t fall for it. You might get a text message saying it’s from the NHS, you’ve been exposed to meningitis and you need to book in for a vaccination to make sure you’re safe. Or you might get a WhatsApp message saying meningitis is common in your area and asking you to click on a link, or an email saying you’ve been exposed to meningitis and you need to click the link to make an appointment.”

“The scary thing is that these messages may look the same as those the NHS would send. But some important points to note are that the NHS will never ask you to click on a link and pay to get vaccinated, or share your personal or banking details through a link.”

The NHS may ask you to click on links to make an appointment, but will never ask for money or personal information after your date of birth. To be on the safe side, you can go directly to the NHS website or NHS app; Here you can see the actual requests for you to make a reservation.

Who is currently eligible for the MenB vaccine?

UKHSA, NHS England and the UK government are coordinating a targeted vaccination program against MenB. The scheme may be expanded further as the UKHSA continues to assess the risk of ongoing outbreaks, but is currently only open to certain groups of people, including:

• Close contacts of people with confirmed or suspected meningococcal disease.
• University of Kent students normally resident at the Canterbury Campus. This includes those traveling home and some staff living or working in these residences.
• Students attending other universities in Canterbury where cases have occurred, living in halls of residence or off-campus.
• Sixth form students (Years 12 and 13) attending a secondary school or sixth form college in Kent where there is a confirmed or probable case of meningococcal disease.
• Anyone who visited or worked at Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 March and 15 March.
• 11th graders in schools where the vaccine offer has already been made.

The UKHSA says the risk of infection to the wider public remains low. Transmission of MenB requires close and prolonged contact, such as living in the same household, close contact, or sharing drinks or e-cigarettes. The bacteria are not as contagious as other infections such as measles or Covid-19.

For more information about the vaccine; Visit the UKHSA website.