Fraudsters are cashing in on the Covid-19 vaccine rollout to scam harvest data of unsuspecting Brits by sending out bogus text messages about the coronavirus vaccine.

According to trading standards, the scam sends recipients fake NHS message that they are “eligible to apply for your vaccine” with a link to a bogus NHS website where personal information and – crucially – bank details “for verification”.

Others have included people travelling door-to-door selling counterfeit or useless protection equipment, or fraudsters claiming to be from the official test and trace service and demanding payments.

The latest scam is preying on elderly or vulnerable people who are expecting to receive legitimate information about their vaccine.

Health authorities have stressed they would never ask for an individual’s banking details.

Katherine Hart, lead office at the CTSI, said: “I have been tracking and warning the public about Covid-related scams since the beginning of the pandemic, and at every stage of response, unscrupulous individuals have modified their campaigns to defraud the public.

“The NHS will never ask you for banking details, passwords, or PIN numbers and these should serve as instant red flags.”

She urged people to report the scams to Action Fraud or Police Scotland.