Police smash suspected fake Covid-19 vaccination records operation, three arrested

Officers from the Cyber Crime Unit have made three arrests as part of investigations into suspected fake COVID-19 vaccination records.

Staff at a London NHS trust noticed a suspicious pattern on some online vaccination records and alerted Action Fraud, who passed the information onto the Met’s central Cyber Crime Unit, who have launched an investigation.

A 27-year-old man and a 23-year-old man, both from Ilford, were arrested for unauthorised computer access and conspiracy to commit fraud by misrepresentation. Searches at a property are being undertaken and 11 devices were seized.

In an unrelated investigation a 36-year-old man from also Ilford was arrested on suspicion of unauthorised computer access and conspiracy to commit fraud by misrepresentation. Three devices were seized and officers are searching a residential address.

The arrest followed a member of staff from a different NHS trust noticing suspicious vaccination records on their online system. The staff member reported their concerns to Action Fraud who sent the information to the Met.

All three remain in custody while the two separate investigations continue.

Detective Superintendent Helen Rance from the central Cyber Crime Team said: “It is concerning that individuals may have fraudulently created false COVID-19 vaccination records during a time when levels of the virus are rising.

“The staff at both Trusts did the right thing and reported their concerns which has allowed us to fully investigate the circumstances.

“I want to reassure the public that no systems were hacked into from outside of the NHS networks and the integrity of the NHS systems remains robust.”