First Minister warns of contact tracing scams

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned the public to be wary of contact tracing scams.

Ms Sturgeon said during her daily coronavirus briefing there were a “tiny minority” of people exploiting the contact tracing system to con people.

The scammers were asking them for bank details, computer passwords or telling people they would need to pay for a Covid test, she said.

She stressed that coronavirus tests were “free, and will always be free for those that need them”.

“Genuine” government contact tracers would know the name of the person they were calling, and would “only ask about your movements and the details of the people you’ve been in contact with”, she said.

Ms Sturgeon said the actions of those that were seeking to take advantage of the system were “truly and utterly despicable”.

She said contact tracers would always call from the same number – 0800 030 8012.