Council warning after dentist scam complaints

A council has warned people against a social media scam claiming a new dentist taking on NHS patients is opening.

Durham County Council said its trading standards team had received five complaints over the supposed new practice in Shildon.

Officers visited the premises, which once housed a genuine dental practice, and found it empty.

A website which claimed to be that of the new dentist had been taken down, the local authority added.

It follows reports of dental scams in other parts of the country, including Norfolk, Essex, Suffolk, Devon and Merseyside.

Durham County Council said the posts, from an account called The Dental Surgery, showed a new waiting room and cited new modern additions complementing the building’s 1800s heritage.

The posts stated the offer was for a limited time and asked people to contact the surgery quickly.

They gave an option to call the surgery, along with an internet registration option, where personal information and payment details could be requested.

Jacqui Nicholson, 62, from County Durham, said she fell for a dental scam after a two-year wait for an NHS dentist.

The website was promoted by someone she trusted on social media.

Mrs Nicholson paid £53 each for appointments for herself and her husband, and claimed the website had an NHS logo, pre-payment options and detailed email confirmation.

"It looked so real. I even Google Mapped it," she said. "It's hard to tell what's real and what's fake. Don't fall for it."

Ian Harrison, the council’s business compliance manager, urged people to think carefully before sharing their private information or banking details.

"The scammers will have been aware of reports of people being unable to find NHS dentists and there being a shortage of appointments and will have seen this as an opportunity to exploit people and part them from their money," he added.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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