MUSSELBURGH’S MSP has urged Honest Toun residents to be on their guard against scams during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Colin Beattie’s advice follows an increase in reports about scam emails.

Police Scotland has issued a warning following nearly 100 complaints on the matter.

Mr Beattie, who also represents Midlothian North, said: “It is extremely unfortunate that people are trying to take advantage of others in the middle of a global pandemic.

“I hope that I can make constituents aware of these scams that are currently on the increase.

“It is very important when you receive these emails that you do not send the perpetrators any money.

“These emails may contain one of your personal passwords and, in this scenario, you should change the password on any accounts it is associated with.

“Do not respond to the email – instead report it as spam, then delete it.

“If you still feel anxious, you can also report this matter to the police on 101.

“I hope that these scams stop soon and that none of my constituents are affected by this. It can be very scary to receive emails of this nature, especially when they contain personal information, claim to have webcam footage or say that they have access to your contacts. It is important to try to remember that this is likely just a generic email, even though the experience is unpleasant and feels personal.

“It may also be important for parents to speak to their children at this time to make them aware that they need to be responsible online. It is important that young people feel that they can discuss anything suspicious.”

Meanwhile, rogue traders have been impersonating NHS staff to try and con East Lothian residents out of cash.

These rogue traders have been offering to do residents’ shopping or ask for donations. Reports of fraudsters trying to cash in on the current lockdown have been revealed by East Lothian Council as it warns residents “it is not rude to shut your door”.

They said there had been reports of people going door to door pretending to be NHS workers collecting donations towards a vaccine or offering to shop for money.

Other scams revealed are people cold calling residents offering to spray their front paths and driveways with anti-bacterial treatments.

The council urged people to be on the alert for con artists and report any suspicious callers to Police Scotland.

They said: “Remember – you are not being rude if you shut the door on unsolicited callers.

“NHS staff will not turn up at your door unannounced and ask you for money or donations.”

Meanwhile, Mr Beattie also highlighted recent conspiracy theories which have been hitting the headlines, including claims linking 5G masts to the spread of Covid-19.

He said: “Spreading these conspiracy theories is extremely irresponsible and frankly dangerous. We have seen damage to infrastructure, such as phone towers, as a result of these theories. These attacks destroy essential network connections that people may currently rely on for support and waste the valuable time of our emergency services.

“There is not a link between Covid-19 and 5G, and it is not acceptable for people to damage infrastructure as a result of fake news. This is very reckless at such a tense time and will cause additional pressure that is unnecessary when people already have so much on their minds. Services are strained, and people are already scared.

“Can I urge everyone to ignore fake news and not further information that seems unrealistic. Always look for reliable sources if you are unsure if something is true or not.”