Vaccinations offered by unexpected text messages, emails or phone calls? Do not fall for it.
Getty Images
Visit the WHO website for the latest news and information on the coronavirus pandemic.
As we all hope for the end of the coronavirus pandemic, many people are understandably focused on the COVID-19 vaccine. Scammers know this. And while you’re dreaming of hugging loved ones, going to concerts, or just feeling safe in a grocery store, they’re doing vaccination-related phishing campaigns to trick you into handing over personal information, money, or access to your device. .
Last month, the FBI issued a warning urging people to be careful when opening emails and texts from unknown senders promising information about the vaccination. So does the enforcement of financial crimes, a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. In addition, police in Florida, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions say they see scams continuing to emerge. In the English county of Derbyshire, law enforcement officials say that scammers sent out texts with links to a website that closely mimicked the British health service appearance. The purpose was to steal personal and financial information, authorities said.
Scammers also buy advertisements that offer to sell vaccines directly to internet users. They probably just want to steal your credit card information, but even if they send something pretending to be a vaccine, it will be extremely dangerous.
Online scammers have been using crises and important events for years to lure people. The pandemic has created an attractive situation because the whole world is aware of the disease and the suffering it is causing in everyone’s lives. From a criminal’s perspective, this is a wonderful opportunity to get many people to act against their better judgment. Scammers seized this opportunity once the pandemic took hold, snake oil offered drugs that never materialized in exchange for credit card numbers or to hack their target computers.
Now vaccines give scammers another lure for their targets.
“These attacks are the prey of our desire for information in times of uncertainty,” said Tony Pepper, CEO of cybersecurity firm Egress. The attacks, Egress says, can be ‘incredibly convincing’, especially for older people who are at the top of the list to get vaccines and who are waiting to hear from medical authorities.
Compile a scam
As early as November, researchers from cybersecurity firm Check Point noticed a significant increase in website domain names referring to vaccines. Scammers usually register a new domain name associated with their disadvantages when setting up a phishing campaign, to serve as a place to lure their targets.
The sites may contain legitimate web forms intended to steal payment or healthcare information, or they may offer malicious software that is installed on your device when you visit it. Malicious software, or malware, can make you vulnerable to ransomware attacks, pop-up ads that make your device unusable and other intrusive attacks by hackers.
You will usually experience a vaccine scam through a compelling message designed to make you respond. The Check Point researchers found emails with subject lines, including “pfizer’s Covid vaccine: 11 things you need to know.” This message contains a malicious file that would infect the computers of recipients with malware when opened.
Fraudulent vaccine ads
If you search online for information on vaccines, you may later see advertisements on various websites for vaccine doses that you can order online. Scammers buy these ads because they know you’re interested in vaccines, just as legitimate retailers can show you rainload assumptions days after searching for wet weather equipment.
The vaccine ads are another scam intended to collect your financial information. Investigators from the Bolster fraud detection firm found an advertisement claiming to be selling the Sinovac vaccine from China, but the company was clearly fraudulent. The site is registered in Panama and contains telephone numbers shared by other businesses, including a waterless car wash service and a talent management agency.
Even if the company sends something that claims to be a vaccine, direct sales of the right COVID-19 vaccine are nearly impossible because it is too expensive to maintain the right cold temperature range for the package.
Avoid vaccine fraud
The FBI urges people to be on their guard for emails, text messages or calls from a sender you do not recognize, and provides information about the coronavirus vaccine. Instead, get information about vaccinations from official sources, such as state and local health departments, the Food and Drug Administration, and your doctor.
Then be aware that your health information can also be used for medical identity theft. Only give your insurance or health information to professionals you know and trust, and monitor your insurance claims to make sure no one else is using your health insurance. What’s more, do not trust strangers who send unsolicited messages that provide benefits to Medicare, coronavirus tests, or vaccinations in exchange for your personal information, including your Medicare information. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this is another scam that has become commonplace in the pandemic.
Finally, whatever you do, do not inject vaccines purchased online.
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.