Fake NHS dentist site scammed desperate patients

Paul Bowring fears he is one of hundreds who fell victim to the scam

Hundreds of people may have been victims of a scam offering NHS appointments at a non-existent dental practice in Lincoln, according to Trading Standards officers.

The website for "The Dental Practice Lincoln" asked for personal data, including passport numbers, and took bank or credit card payments to secure appointments.

Emma Milligan, from Lincolnshire Trading Standards, said her officers did not know how many people had been caught out by the scam, which preyed on people's desperation for NHS dental care.

She said the site had promised "we'll get you a place, if you send us your personal details; if you send us money, we'll get you an NHS dentist, and that's what's drawn people in".

The website offered NHS dental appointments at a non-existent practice

Paul Bowring was among those who signed up, saying spotting a post about the new dentist on Facebook was "an absolute dream come true".

He and his wife have been searching for a new NHS dentist since theirs went private about six years ago.

In the rush to register with the fake practice, they shared personal details including their passport numbers.

He said: "We're normally the ones telling our families to be careful about scams, but they hit us with exactly what we were after and we were thinking 'we've got to do it now'.

"We sent the information because we wanted to have that dentist."

Mr Bowring feared their personal data had been stolen and was forced to notify credit agencies, cancel their passports and spend £200 on new ones.

He described the scammers as "awful people who are preying on people's vulnerabilities", adding: "It doesn't stop us feeling daft, but I think it's something that's caught out hundreds of people."

The owners of this building were unaware the address had been used by fraudsters

Lincolnshire Trading Standards said similar websites have offered NHS appointments at non-existent practices in Norfolk and West Yorkshire.

Trading standards described the scam as "clever", with the website featuring a photo of a registered dentist based in south-west England, who had no idea their identity had been hijacked.

The site for "The Dental Practice Lincoln" promised patients would be seen in a former GP practice on St Catherine's, Lincoln, from December. Trading Standards said the building's owners had been unaware their address had been used.

The website also asked for new patients to give their credit card or bank details to pay for their first appointment in advance.

Eddie Crouch, who chairs the British Dental Association, said: "No dental practice would really ask you for details like your passport number and it's pretty unusual for most NHS dental practices to take payment in advance, so when you see those signs and are asked for those on any website, you should immediately be worried that perhaps the site is not legitimate."

He recommended using the NHS website Find a Dentist, but acknowledged the information was sometimes out of date, leaving patients looking for an easier option than the "frustration" of making multiple phone calls.

"It's no surprise really with, we think, 13 million people out there looking for an NHS appointment at the moment, that these people are very vulnerable to being scammed," he said.

Emma Milligan says investigators are still hunting the criminals behind the scam

Lincolnshire Trading Standards manager Ms Milligan said officers had been tipped off about the website by relatives and council staff and it was "worrying how much personal data" had been collected.

She said people of all ages had been caught out by the scam

"It doesn't matter whether you're older or younger. If you think 'wow, there's some places for an NHS dentist, I want to get myself and my kids in to that place', it's created that urgency," she said.

"They said, 'if you send us your personal details, if you send us money, we'll get you an NHS dentist' and that's what's drawing people in."

Ms Milligan said online scams had become increasingly sophisticated and recommended people "take a step back and do a little bit of research" before handing over personal details.

She said anyone who had handed over financial details should contact their bank and those who suspect they had been a victim of this scam should visit the Citizens Advice Bureau or CIFAS websites for advice.

Her team has still not established how many people signed up to the bogus site and she fears some may not realise they have fake appointments until they turn up for them in December.

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