Virus text scam targets islanders

Monday 23 March 2020

Jersey Police have urged islanders to delete a phishing text promising financial support to help with the impact of the covid-19 outbreak.

The text was today sent to islanders from the contact ‘COVID’, offering them the chance to apply for £558 of financial support during the current health crisis.

The text reads: “URGENT: UKGOV has issued a payment of 558 GBP to all residents as part of its promise to battle COVID19.” 

It then invites recipients to click a link “to apply” for the purported financial support.

Police have now assured Jersey residents that this text is a scam and, if received, islanders should delete it from their phones.

It comes after Jersey's government partnered with local telecoms providers to send health advice updates to locals via text.

The scam text appears to mimic the layout of the Government of Jersey texts, but the Force has said that Jersey people can “rest assured it is a scam and you should delete i