Using online services helps to make life easier for both our patients and for the Practice. However, it is becoming increasingly important to protect yourself in any online environment. While our website is safe to use, we also want our patients to be aware of online scams including fake websites, email scams, health scams and computer viruses.

To read how The Tollgate Practice uses your information, please visit the Privacy Notice – GDPR page of our website.

Below are some examples of online scams that we want our patients to be aware of.

Fake websites

Scammers create fake websites which look official and request you to input your personal or financial information. A fake bank website for instance may be set up to input your security information or to update your account details. The layout will be nearly identical to the actual website or only a few details will be different.

Other types of website are those which offer to assist you in filling out applications, such as driving licence or passport renewal websites. While these are not necessarily fake they often mimic official websites, such as the Government websites. They are not illegal either, but will charge extra money for using their services, where the Government offers these services for free.

To prevent visiting one of these fake websites, always input the website address directly into the address bar. The website addresses are often found on official communications, such as a letter from your bank. For Government websites, you should visit gov.uk, the official website which will direct you to the correct department.

Email scams

Scammers send out fake emails that will prompt you to input personal or financial details and which may direct you towards a fake website. These will often suggest that you have won a prize or a lottery.

Other email scams will have attachments such as links or files. These should never be opened. Opening these may harm your device. These are known as spam or junk mail.

Similar to fake websites, scam emails can look genuine and appear to be from official government departments such as HMRC or from banks.

Often you can tell if an email is a scam due to poor spelling, grammar or writing style; include threats if action is not immediately taken; or requests for personal information, such as usernames, passwords or bank details. It is important to remember that genuine organisations will never ask for these details.

Never reply to any scam email and delete them immediately. If the email claims to be from an organisation and you are unsure in any way, contact them by telephone using the phone numbers found on their official website.

Health scams

False and misleading claims may be made about medical-related products that often claim to be miracle cures, and also from online pharmacies that offer cheap medicines. The medication that you receive from these companies is often of poor quality and can even be harmful to your health.

To check if an online pharmacy is genuine, click on the ‘Registered Pharmacy’ logo on the online pharmacy’s website; this should lead directly to the General Pharmaceutical Council website.

Computer viruses

Computer viruses are malicious programs that spread computer to computer. You may be sent an email with an attachment that when you click on it releases the virus onto your device. Criminals can then use this to take control of your device or scan your system for your personal information. They can slow your computer down, delete files or send out spam emails.

Scammers are known to phone you, claiming to be a well-known software company such as Microsoft saying that there is a problem with your computer and require access to it, along with your personal details. A legitimate IT company would never contact customers in this way. You should hang up immediately if you receive a telephone call like this.

To protect your devices, you should use anti-virus and anti-spyware programs to prevent unwanted activity, popups and trackers. You can buy these from reputable providers either online or in store from computer shops, or there are free security programs available online.

Relationship scams

Social networks such as Facebook or online dating websites have increasingly been used by scammers. Acting as a stranger they will attempt to gain your trust, often by telling you an emotional story or describe their bad luck. They will then often ask for money.

These scams can be difficult to spot and so it is important to talk to a friend or relative about it, especially if things are moving quickly. They will often look to move away from the online platform and communicate by text or email.

Never send the person money or give them your account details. If you arrange to meet with someone, make sure it is in a public place and tell someone where you are going. Don’t give your information away too quickly.

Protecting your devices

In addition to using anti-virus and anti-spyware as mentioned previously, you should always use strong passwords on all of your accounts and devices. You should avoid common words, numbers or patterns (such as ‘password’ or ‘123456’ etc) and don’t include any personal information like your name, date of birth or family members details.

You should also protect your wireless network (Wi-Fi) with a strong password so that people who live nearby cannot freely access it. You should setup your Wi-Fi with a ‘key’ password, using the instruction manual as guidance on how to do this.

Keeping your device up-to-date with the latest operating system helps it to function properly and often includes the very latest security updates. You should receive notifications when new updates are available for your devices, though you can also update these manually.