Police warned the public yesterday to be wary of scammers who aimed to profit from the Covid-19 pandemic.Detective Superintendent Nicholas Pedro said opportunistic criminals had used the pandemic to target the vulnerable.Mr Pedro added: “They see a vulnerable population out there that they can prey upon. “People may be scared and looking for help. People are trying to protect themselves and their families. People are unemployed or laid off. “There may be an added level of desperation right now that may cause someone to make an emotional decision that could make them a victim.”Mr Pedro said crime had fallen since the start of the shelter-in-place regulations, but people should still be on their guard.He added: “Criminals may try and reach out to people through social media, e-mails, or phone calls pretending to be from government agencies or other entities. “Always request identification if someone comes to your door — I wish to be clear that we are not currently seeing impersonators active within the community, but this is always a risk during or after critical incidents impacting the island.”He said: “We’re aware of many cases overseas, but have not quite yet seen elevated levels of fraud in Bermuda. “We constantly monitor social and traditional media for suspected scams, and work with our government partners to identify fraudulent schemes.”Mr Pedro added financial institutions would not ask for personal information so people could bet benefits.Mr Pedro warned: “Use extreme caution in online communication. For e-mails, verify who the sender is; criminals will sometimes change just one letter in an e-mail address to make it look like one you know. “Be very wary of attachments or links. Hover your mouse over a link before clicking to see where it’s sending you. “In general, be suspicious of anyone offering you something that’s too good to be true.”• The only place to apply for Bermuda Government emergency unemployment benefits is through https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-forms. To report suspected scams, phone the police at 295-0011