James Warren
THE Policia Nacional have issued a statement warning Andalucia’s elderly of a new scam by thieves that is spreading across the province.
According to a statement released yesterday, a group of scammers are targeting the elderly and vulnerable and gaining entry into their homes on the premise of performing COVID-19 vaccinations.
As the police’s anti-fraud department explains, robbers are posing as healthcare workers and contacting over 65s to arrange an appointment to perform a home vaccination.
The thieves are playing on the idea that the elderly do not have to leave their home to receive the jab.
Once the appointment is made, the thief then accesses the property and takes the pensioner’s belongings.
Police have liaised with Associations of the Elderly, Social Centres and Neighborhood Associations to pre-warn residents of the scam and informed local councils to pass the message to its populations.
The statement also reminds anyone that vaccines are never administered at home, and only in registered health centres and in residencies for the elderly.
“We want to prevent the group of older people, or any other group, from being victims of this type of criminal act,” read the statement.
Across Spain, the first batches of Pfizer vaccinations are being distributed to municipalities.
Orihuela Costa became the first municipality in the Costa Blanca to begin a vaccination programme at the The Residence for the Third Age.
