Lincoln dentist’s fake website defrauds patients desperate for NHS care

Hundreds of people may have been scammed to book NHS appointments at a defunct dental clinic in Lincoln, Trading Standards has said.

The Dental Practice website asked for personal information, including passport numbers, and accepted bank or credit card payments to book appointments.

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

She said the site promised: “We will give you a place if you send us your personal details; if you send us money we will find you an NHS dentist and that’s what attracts people.”

Paul Bowring was among those who signed up. He said posting about the new dentist on Facebook was “an absolute dream.”

He and his wife had been looking for a new NHS dentist since their dental practice went private about six years ago.

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

He said: “We usually tell our families to be careful about scams, but they hit us with exactly what we were after and we thought, ‘We’ve got to do this now.’

“We sent the information because we wanted this dentist.”

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

He described scammers as “horrible people who prey on people’s vulnerabilities.”

“It doesn’t stop us from feeling stupid, but I think it hit hundreds of people.”

Lincolnshire Trading Standards said similar websites were offering NHS appointments at defunct clinics in Norfolk and West Yorkshire.

Trading Standards described the scam as “clever” as the website featured a photograph of a registered dentist from south-west England who had no idea his identity had been stolen.

The Lincoln Dental Practice website has promised that patients will be seen at the former GP practice on St Catherine’s Street in Lincoln from December. Trading Standards said the building’s owners were unaware their address was being used.

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

Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association, said: “No dental practice will ask you for details such as your passport number, and it is quite unusual for most NHS dental practices to charge upfront fees, so when you see these signs and you “Those who visit any website should immediately be concerned that the site may not be legitimate,” they ask.

He recommended using NHS Find a Dentist websitebut admitted information was sometimes out of date, leaving patients looking for an easier option than the “frustration” of making several phone calls.

“In fact, we think it is no surprise that there are currently 13 million people seeking an appointment on the NHS and these people are very vulnerable to fraud.”

Lincolnshire Trading Standards Manager Emma Milligan said officers had been told about the website by relatives and council staff and were “concerned about how much personal data” had been collected.

She said people of all ages have “fallen for the scam”.

Adding: “It doesn’t matter if you’re older or younger. If you’re thinking, “Wow, there are places for an NHS dentist, I want to get myself and my kids there,” it creates such urgency.

“They said if you send us your personal details, if you send us money, we will find you an NHS dentist, and that’s what attracts people.”

Ms Milligan said online scams were becoming increasingly sophisticated and advised people to “take a step back and do a little research” before handing over personal details.

She said anyone who provided financial information should contact their bank, and those who suspect they have been victims of this scam should visit the bank. Citizens Advice Bureau or CIFAS consultation sites.

Her team still hasn’t determined how many people signed up for the bogus site, and she worries some may not realize they’re having bogus meetings until they show up for them in December.