Fake sicknotes, complete with doctors’ stamps, are being sold online.
The DoctorsNoteStore.com website is selling the fake doctors’ sicknotes for £24.99. They are almost identical to a genuine letter from a GP or hospital.
The site advertises a guaranteed delivery time of 48 hours for the replica certificates, written on official NHS notepaper with an authentic stamp. It even has a buy one get one free offer.
Although the site claims that they are for novelty use only, it goes on to print user testimonials.
One says: "I ordered a ‘Doctors Note’ and had the document in my hands within 24 hours! My boss didn’t suspect a thing, and I could have been thrown out for missing 2 weeks. It was wonderful doing business with you. Thank you!"
Another adds: "I have been using your fake doctors note service for 5 years, now- I get an extra 2 weeks holidays every year because of your perfect doctors notes."
A spokesman for the NHS counter-fraud squad warned that anyone caught using fake sicknotes would be open to prosecution.
"The NHS logo and letters are registered trademarks which are owned by the Department of Health. We can and will take action to ensure the NHS logo and name are not misused in any way," he told BBC News Online.
"Selling sicknotes is not illegal, so a person could type one up and sell it without being prosecuted. It only becomes illegal when you receive a payment or advantage, for instance paid time off work, because of its use."
The Department for Work and Pensions warned that employers could end up shelling out millions in sick pay.