Many GP surgeries now text patients about appointments, reminders or health information. Scammers have copied that habit.

Fake messages can arrive by text or phone. They often claim you must update your details, confirm an appointment, order medication or pay a fee. The link may look official. It is there to take personal or financial information.

You do not need to reply, click or pay to keep your GP place.

Warning signs to look out for

Treat a message as suspicious if it:

• asks for bank details, a password, PIN or security code
• says the request is urgent
• contains a link you were not expecting
• threatens that you will be removed from the surgery list
• asks you to download an app during a call

A genuine surgery may send a text. It should not ask for your online banking password, PIN or security codes.

What you should do

• Do not click a link in a message you are unsure about.
• Do not give personal or financial information.
• Call your GP surgery on a number you already have, or look it up yourself. Do not use a number from the message.
• You can also check appointments in the NHS App, if you use it.
• If you think you have given banking details, contact your bank at once.
• Forward a suspicious text to 7726. It is free and goes to your mobile provider.

A few minutes spent checking can prevent a great deal of distress and financial loss.

A note from the NHS Counter Fraud Authority

The NHS Counter Fraud Authority has reported that allegations involving fraudulent text messages, telephone scams and misuse of the NHS name have risen to their highest level in five years. Criminals use messages that look as if they come from a GP surgery or an NHS organisation to obtain personal and financial information.

• NHS Counter Fraud Authority: https://cfa.nhs.uk/
• Report NHS fraud (England and Wales): https://cfa.nhs.uk/report-fraud
• NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line: 0800 028 4060

Forward scam texts to 7726 from anywhere in the UK.

Calls pretending to be the NHS

Police and Trading Standards throughout the country have warned about recorded calls that say your GP is “updating their registry” and ask you to press 1. The NHS will not cold-call to threaten your place at the surgery or to make you install an app. Hang up and call the surgery on a number you already know.

The Friday Care Tip is provided free of charge by Able Community Care, a Norfolk care provider established in 1980. Its purpose is to help make information from the health and social care sectors easier to find for older people, their families and carers.