to think some people will use the track and trace maliciously (because you won't know who has reported you as a contact)

[chomalungma]

You won't be told who the person was who is ill. But you will be told to self isolate for 14 days.

I can see why they won't tell you.
I can also see that some people (maybe, maybe not - if they are ill, they might not care) - but they could take advantage of this to harm someone.

I would like to know who has listed me as a contact. It could be a mistake on their part.

It's a big ask to self isolate for 2 weeks, especially given the impact on your life, finances etc.

And especially if you don't know who the person is

[SimonJT]

There was someone on here yesterday planning on pretending to have symptoms and saying they had been with their inlaws so they wouldn’t have to see their inlaws for two weeks.

[BiarritzCrackers]

This occurred to me too! We have seen such levels of pettiness and awful behaviour from some people, especially in the first few weeks of all this happening, that it wouldn't surprise me at all if some people use it maliciously.

[lyralalala]

I think, given that a lot of the tracers have been involved in work for sexual heath tracing until now, they'll be pretty good at being able to tell who is a genuine "I've not been anywhere" and who isn't.

I have a friend who has swapped from her usual contact tracing to do this and she says it's usually quite obvious from the reporter and the person being contacted when it's malicious.

[NuffSaidSam]

'There was someone on here yesterday planning on pretending to have symptoms'

You can't self-report to the contract tracers.

You have to have had a positive test result.

No-one can 'pretend' you into having to isolate.

[lyralalala]

@NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite

"My friend thought exactly this. She has a Stbxh who would be this malicious and would then know exactly where she was and it would leave her alone in the house."
If your friend's stbxh told the tracer he had been in close contact for 15 minutes with her, I think he would be asked for her name, address telephone number. Presumably he wouldn't have (at least) the address.

Why do you then think he would know where she lives? The person tracing contacts is not going to divulge personal information about anyone to any of the parties involved.

Presumably someone's stbxh would quite probably already have their address.

If they are abusive, or even just a pest, then they then know that for the next two weeks they are guaranteed to be at home. It is something that could be used so that abusers know exactly where their victims are for a fortnight.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

If your friend's stbxh told the tracer he had been in close contact for 15 minutes with her, I think he would be asked for her name, address telephone number. Presumably he wouldn't have (at least) the address

??

Of course he has her address. He picks their dc up from the house Eow and it was where he lived till he was escorted from the family.

She has an injunction out on him but it means nothing and the police don’t care

[lyralalala]

@SimonJT

There was someone on here yesterday planning on pretending to have symptoms and saying they had been with their inlaws so they wouldn’t have to see their inlaws for two weeks.

That won't work. They don't contact your contacts until your test shows you are positive.

The most they'd be able to do is isolate until they got a test and test results. Here you can get a test same day and results seem to be coming back in two to three days.

[chomalungma]

No-one can 'pretend' you into having to isolate

How do you know a caller is genuine?

I could ring someone up, say I am a contact tracer and tell them to isolate. Threaten with a fine if need be.

There are people who could believe that.

[RuffleCrow]

I thought it was an automatic thing via the app. Didn't realise this was how it would work.

[BlackberryCane]

@lyralalala

I think, given that a lot of the tracers have been involved in work for sexual heath tracing until now, they'll be pretty good at being able to tell who is a genuine "I've not been anywhere" and who isn't.

I have a friend who has swapped from her usual contact tracing to do this and she says it's usually quite obvious from the reporter and the person being contacted when it's malicious.

How would they be able to act on this though? They could ask are you sure etc, but if someone sticks to the lie, are they really going to be able to do anything other than ultimately acquiesce?

I'd hope there'll be some mechanism to weed out the obviously batshit, but if it's two ordinary and previously unknown people in a he said/she said, that would require resources to check. They're not going to be able to do that.

[Earnsomething]

Barnabyboyo, it's not just 2 weeks though is it? It could happen repeatedly

[chomalungma]

@lyralalala

I think, given that a lot of the tracers have been involved in work for sexual heath tracing until now, they'll be pretty good at being able to tell who is a genuine "I've not been anywhere" and who isn't.

I have a friend who has swapped from her usual contact tracing to do this and she says it's usually quite obvious from the reporter and the person being contacted when it's malicious.

I thought a lot of them were call staff or even recent graduates.

[TabbyMumz]

There already things going round fb saying to people if you are going to download the track or trace app, please delete me from your phone as you dont have permission to pass on my details. I also think people will say they had contact with lots of mates, so as they can all get 2 weeks off work.

[CakeCakeCake21]

I thought this as well. Say you have a holiday booked, and a malicious person decides to name you as a contact, knowing this will mean you can’t go away. - and probably lose money. I am not saying this behaviour will be rife but with some of the stories on relationships I can easily imagine an ex-partner or malicious neighbour, relative or colleague doing that.

[callmeadoctor]

If one tests positive for corona, surely you could give a lot of people that you allegedly met, nobody would have a clue whether it was true or not? I don't understand how it can be policed?

[NuffSaidSam]

'Barnabyboyo, it's not just 2 weeks though is it? It could happen repeatedly'

Only if you have loads of people in your life who are:

A) malicious
B) out to get you
C) have coronavirus

How many people do you have in your life who are really malicious and out to get you?! It can't be that many, surely!

[Earnsomething]

I was thinking more of genuine contacts Nuffsaid and yes if you have minimal contacts, the risk is reduced but as we get back to work etc, we're all going to be in contact with more people.

[chomalungma]

How many people do you have in your life who are really malicious and out to get you?! It can't be that many, surely

How many people are there who are malicious and are out to get people they know?

(It's the birthday on the same day problem)

[NuffSaidSam]

'How do you know a caller is genuine?

I could ring someone up, say I am a contact tracer and tell them to isolate. Threaten with a fine if need be.'

That's true. But that's a different problem from people being maliciously named as contacts.

I assume any texts/letters etc. would come from the NHS. But I can imagine vulnerable people being fooled by a fake call.

I just can't see it being something people bother to do though? People that go to the effort of scam calls are usually in it for money. I just can't see high level tricksters bothering to get Maureen from Sunderland to stay home for two weeks! Why bother?

If anything I can see people doing it for a joke rather then a scam.

[chomalungma]

That's true. But that's a different problem from people being maliciously named as contacts

It's all part of the same OP.

There are a lot of scammers out there - and a lot of vulnerable people.

[NuffSaidSam]

'How many people are there who are malicious and are out to get people they know?'

Who also have coronavirus.....I don't think it's enough for this to be a widespread problem.

And certainly not so that the same one person is repeatedly being maliciously named over and over again.

[chomalungma]

And certainly not so that the same one person is repeatedly being maliciously named over and over again

That would be unlucky....

[SandieCheeks]

I think they need to pay people full pay to isolate for two weeks - otherwise anyone who isn't very financially comfortable just won't be able to comply. I know I can't.

[NuffSaidSam]

'There are a lot of scammers out there - and a lot of vulnerable people.'

What's the point of the scam though?!

People scam for money or personal gain.

There is not going to be a widespread scam whereby fraudsters conspire to keep individual people at home! It just makes no sense.

[chomalungma]

There is not going to be a widespread scam whereby fraudsters conspire to keep individual people at home! It just makes no sense

Come and pay for an antibody test?
Come and get some personal details?
Get access to the house?

Who knows...but there are a lot of fraudsters out there who could see an opportunity in this.