Public can tell if track and trace phone call is real because it will sound ‘professional’
The deputy chief medical officer said it will be 'obvious' the call is genuine.
The public can tell if a track and trace phone call is legit because it will sound professional, the deputy chief medical officer has said.
Jenny Harries claimed it would be obvious in the conversation the person calling was genuine.
Around 25,000 tracers will notify people if they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and they will then have to self-isolate.
During the daily coronavirus press conference on Sunday, Dr Harries was aksed how people could tell if it was a real call.
She responded: ‘I think it will be very obvious in the conversation you have with them that they are genuine in that regard.’
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Dr Harries added: ‘I recognise that many of us will be very cautious, and quite rightly so, about interactions from external organisations, but individuals will make it very clear to you that they are calling for a particular reason.
‘I think it will be very evident when somebody rings you these are professionally trained individuals and sitting over them are a group of senior clinical professionals.’
The Department for Health has said callers will never ask for financial details, PINs or banking passwords over the phone, and tracers will not be making any home visits.
A spokesman for the department said: ‘We have been working with the police, the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency to ensure that the public are aware of any potential fraudulent activity.’
Contact tracers will also only call from the telephone number 0300 013 5000, and send text messages from ‘NHS’.
They may also ask people to sign into the NHS contact-tracing website, request a full name and date of birth to confirm a person’s identity, and ask for a postcode to offer support while self-isolating.
Contact tracers may also ask those with symptoms to provide the name, telephone number and email address of people they have had close contact with in the previous two days.
The Health Department said tracers will not ask people to dial a premium rate number, make any form of payment or purchase, or ask for the social media identities or log-in details of a person or their contacts.
Personal and medical information will not be requested, or any information on treatment of coronavirus symptoms.
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