Home care staff have been warned to ‘stay vigilant’ after a number of care homes were targeted by scammers. 

Scottish Care, which represents private social care providers in Scotland, tweeted this morning to alert care home staff of a scam circulating via email. 

Scammers, who posed as the UK Government, were claiming to issue £500 payments to care home residents. 

The tweet read: “It has come to our attention that scam emails are going around care homes, claiming to be the UK Government issuing a £500 payment to residents.

“If you receive an email like this, please do not open or click on the links! 

“Please stay vigilant & share this alert.”

Scottish Care CEO Dr Donald Macaskill retweeted asking people to spread the message. 

He wrote: “Really really sad that there are people out there willing to scam hard working care staff and residents.”

A Scottish Care spokesperson said: "This is truly awful, we cannot believe that people would try to scam hardworking care home workers and residents during these challenging times. 

"Scottish Care has raised this concern with others and alerted all members. We urge all care home providers, staff and residents to stay vigilant and not to open any emails that raise suspicion."