Pennsylvania Covid-19 vaccination hotline, intercepted by hackers

Pennsylvania Covid-19 vaccination hotline, intercepted by hackers

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The service opened Thursday afternoon to help residents 65 and older who do not have access to the Internet or need additional assistance, reports KDKA, a CNN subsidiary. The county is home to Pittsburgh, the second most populous city in the state.

At one point ‘mid-afternoon’, the health department and the 2-1-1 service realized that a hacker was intercepting callers and distracting them from the helpline without their knowledge, according to a news release from the country.

“While 2-1-1 continues to work with its telephone partners to investigate, we do not know which carrier was involved or how many callers affected it,” the release said. “The problem was quickly identified and resolved.”

6 coronavirus vaccine scams that target your money and personal information - and what you need to do about it

Some residents told KDKA that the person on the other end of the line was asking for credit card information when they called. Allegheny County did not want to confirm the nature of the alleged hacker’s calls, but ordered callers to contact the FBI if they believe their calls were intercepted.

” A 2-1-1 resource navigator will never ask for personal financial information such as credit card numbers or ask anyone to purchase or send a gift card before making an appointment, ” the report reads.

The FBI would not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.

CNN also contacted Allegheny County police for comment.

How To Protect Yourself From Scam

As the Covid-19 vaccine becomes more widely available, fraudsters are inevitably exploiting the situation, putting people at risk of exposing their personal information and stealing money without ever getting a chance.

Staying vigilant and informed is the best way to prevent scammers from gaining access to your money or private information.

If you receive a notification about suspicious vaccinations, consult your local health department. Do not share personal information such as your credit card number or social security number with anyone you do not know unless you have verified their identity with an official source such as your health department or healthcare provider. Take the vaccination only at authorized vaccination sites.

You can report vaccines at these locations:

  • The Federal Trade Commissions’ ReportFraud.ftc.gov, which shares information with law enforcement
  • The FBI’s tip line, at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI
  • The office of the Inspector General of the HHS, at tips.hhs.gov or 1-800-HHS TIPS
  • The Better Business Bureau’s Scam

Scottie Andrew of CNN contributed to this report.

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