People have been urged to remain vigilant after scammers delivered leaflets offering cleaning services to remove “bacteria that attracts Covid-19” to homes in Bristol.
The city’s trading standards watchdog said it had received a number of reports about the leaflet, which contains false claims about “corona removal officers” offering services such as a deep clean and plumbing.
The leaflet is not endorsed by the council, government or NHS.
It states: “All UK homes (kitchens and bathroom areas) need to be officially checked and passed for risk of bacteria that can attract the Covid-19 virus.
“Appointed corona removal officers are trained to remove and dispose of harmful and deadly bacteria.”
Scammers have used the pandemic to reach unsuspecting victims throughout 2020, with Action Fraud warning back in July that £11m had been lost to criminals exploiting the crisis.
The Charity Commission has also warned that scams targeting people who believe they are giving to good cause have risen sharply through the pandemic, urging wellbeing individuals to remain vigilant.
The commission said in October that 645 charities had reported being victims of fraud or cybercrime since the start of the pandemic in March, amounting to £3.6m in total losses to charities.
The true scale of fraud against charities is believed to be much higher, as fraud is known to be underreported.
Sarah Saunders, trading standards team leader in Bristol, said: “It’s very concerning to discover that this false and misleading leaflet is being circulated in Bristol, and we are now investigating these claims.
“If you receive a flyer, text message, email or phone call from somebody you don’t know who is offering cleaning services or anything else that claims to protect you from Covid-19, please be extra vigilant and contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline or call 0808 223 1133.”