Beware of COVID-19 Vaccine Scams

With news of a COVID-19 vaccine, scammers are primed and ready to take advantage of consumers eager to get inoculated. Fraudsters are coaxing money and/or personal information from unwary individuals by promising quick access to the vaccine through texts, emails, letters, ads on social media, and even in-person visits.

Here are some tips to protect yourself from this latest scam:

• Fact check any information you receive about the vaccine, using official sources such as the Centers for Disease Control or the Food & Drug Administration.  Go to www.Mass.Gov for information about the Massachusetts vaccine distribution plan.
• Know that you can neither pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine nor can you pay to get early access to the vaccine.
• Check with your health care provider prior to paying for, or receiving, any COVID-19 related treatment.
• Do not buy any kind of COVID-19 vaccine or treatment on the internet or from an online pharmacy.
• Do not give cash or any other form of payment or divulge personal, medical, or financial information to unsolicited or unknown parties. If you receive a call offering vaccines or treatment, hang up immediately.
•  Ignore offers or advertisements for COVID-19 testing or treatments on social media sites.

Websites run by scammers can be persuasive.  Check the URL and look for suspicious typos. If the information appears to be coming from a government website, the web address will end with .gov. The URL should also begin with “https,” which indicates a site is secure.