Department for Education warn parents over school meal scam emails
25 March 2020, 08:21
Parents across the UK have been warned of a scam email circulating.
A scam, aimed at parents across the UK, is asking people to enter their bank account details in order to claim free school meals.
The Department for Education warned people across the UK on Tuesday to not respond to the email and delete it immediately.
READ MORE: Coronavirus UK lockdown: When can I leave the house and what for?
The email is believed to state something like: "As schools will be closing, if you're entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we'll make sure you're supported".
We have been informed some parents have received an email stating:
— Department for Education (@educationgovuk) March 24, 2020
‘As schools will be closing, if you're entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we'll make sure you're supported’.
This is a scam email - do not respond, and delete immediately. pic.twitter.com/r6cJP28dyY
While the Government are providing school meal vouchers for children staying home during the pandemic, they have warned this is not a legitimate email.
On Twitter, the Department for Education wrote: "We have been informed some parents have received an email stating:
‘As schools will be closing, if you're entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we'll make sure you're supported’.
"This is a scam email - do not respond, and delete immediately."
Instead, they have directed parents to the Gov.UK website for Government guidance on claiming free school meals.
This comes amid a huge rise in coronavirus related frauds hit the UK.
According to Essex Police, the amount of fraud around COVID-19 has increased by 400 per cent in March.
They said between February 1 and March 18, Action Fraud has received 105 reports from victims hit by scams, with a total loss from these people of £970,000.
READ MORE: How many cases of COVID-19 are in the UK and how many people have died?
