With the pace of rollout of the COVID vaccine in the US slower than expected, people who rely on the protection afforded by the shots are becoming anxious about the wait. Unfortunately, this also led to the rise of opportunistic fellow human beings cheating on a COVID vaccine scam for which the FBI wants you to be careful. According to warnings from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Better Business Bureau and the FBI, new gimmicks are being developed to rob unsuspecting people of their money and data – or even endanger their health and lives, LifeHacker reports . “Scammers are really starting to prey on people’s hopes of getting a vaccine quickly and easily,” Sean Herdrick, a communications director at the Better Business Bureau in Southern Arizona, said in an interview with local ABC subsidiary KGUN.
So what should you watch out for? Read on to see the tactics these fraudsters use, and for more information on the legal vaccine, if you did so recently, you may have a bad vaccine reaction.
Read the original article Best life.
Scammers try to sell fake vaccines.
Scams have been discovered on messaging programs such as Telegram, where channels offer vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca for $ 110 to $ 180 each, claiming that the sensitive vials are shipped in ice or can be delivered overnight for a fee, Reuters reports.
In addition to robbing the victims of money, scams with the sale of counterfeit vaccines can put lives at risk by not providing the protection of a proper dose – or worse, and causing a reaction. In a statement, a Pfizer spokesman warned: “Patients should never try to secure a vaccine online – no legal vaccine is sold online – and should only be vaccinated at certified vaccination centers or by certified healthcare providers.” And to avoid getting more vaccines, you can consult the FDA that you can not do these 4 things with the COVID vaccines.
And they are trying to steal unsuspecting information about the citizens.
According to cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, which tracks COVID-19 scams on the Internet, website domains containing references to the word ‘vaccine’ along with ‘COVID-19’ more than doubled from October to November, with 2,500 being the first vaccine has been approved, reports Reuters. The keyword-heavy websites often attract unsuspecting victims and can then be used to steal sensitive personal information or to infect personal computers with a completely different type of virus.
“So far, many of these domains appear to be just opportunistic registrations, but some are going to be used for phishing attempts to get people to click on (malicious) links,” Lindsay Kaye, director of operating results at Recorded Future, told Reuters. And for a whole other concern about the vaccine, look at the latest COVID strain that could “weaken” the vaccine, warns Expert.
Some scammers ask for payment for being placed on vaccine waiting lists.
The HHS recently reported that new scams are being developed, along with the release of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. These include scammers who reach out via email, text message, phone call or home visit and try to obtain Medicare numbers, financial information or credit card numbers to prepay and secure a place on a COVID-19 waiting list. Criminals will then use the information to commit identity theft.
The HHS website warns that ‘government and government officials will not call you to obtain personal information to receive the vaccine, and that you will not be asked from house to house to receive the vaccine.’ They add that you “should not respond to or open hyperlinks in text messages about COVID-19 from strangers,” and “be suspicious of unexpected calls or visitors offering COVID-19 tests or supplies.” And for more information on where the vaccine may be needed, see dr. Fauci. The COVID vaccine may be mandatory here.
And you still have to watch out for prolonged COVID test fraud.
Unfortunately, COVID-related scams precede the release of vaccines. HHS and the FBI warn that there have been certain attempts to steal money or sensitive information for months, and the HHS website states that ‘fraudsters also continue to offer COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare information. However, the services are not approved and illegal. ‘
The agency recommends that everyone be careful about any unsolicited contact from anyone who claims to offer COVID services, and contact local authorities if you suspect any misconduct. And for more information on where the virus is growing now, check out This is how bad the COVID outbreak is in your state.