The FBI just issued this warning on the COVID vaccine

With the pace of the COVID vaccine rollout in the United States slower than expected, people who rely on the protection the vaccines will provide are worried about wait times. Unfortunately, this has also led to the rise of opportunistic scammers selling a COVID vaccine scam that the FBI wants you to be wary of. According to warnings from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Better Business Bureau and the FBI, new schemes are being developed to deprive unsuspecting people of their money and data – or even save money. their health and life at risk, LifeHacker reports. “The crooks are really starting to prey on people’s hopes of getting vaccinated quickly and quickly,” Sean herdrick, said a communications director at the Better Business Bureau in southern Arizona, in an interview with KGUN, a local ABC subsidiary.

So what should you be on the lookout for? Read on to see the tactics used by these scammers and to find out about the latest news on the legitimate vaccine, if you have recently done so you could have a bad reaction to the vaccine.

Read the original article on Better life.

Scammers try to sell fake vaccines.

Scams have been uncovered on messaging apps like Telegram, where chains will offer vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca for $ 110 to $ 180 apiece, claiming sensitive vials will be shipped in ice or can be delivered overnight overnight for a fee, reports Reuters. .

Besides stealing money from victims, scams involving the sale of counterfeit vaccines can put lives on the line by failing to protect an actual dose – or worse yet, by causing a reaction. In a statement, a Pfizer spokesperson warned: “Patients should never try to secure a vaccine online – no legitimate vaccine is sold online – and get vaccinated only at certified vaccination centers or by certified healthcare providers. ” And for more vaccine behaviors to avoid, check out The FDA Just Said You Cannot Do These 4 Things With COVID Vaccines.

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And they try to steal information from unsuspecting citizens.

According to cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, which tracks COVID-19 fraud on the Internet, website domains containing references to the word “vaccine” with “COVID-19” more than doubled from October to November, with 2,500 emerging as the first vaccine was approved, reports Reuters. Keyword rich sites often attract unsuspecting victims and can then be used to steal sensitive personal information or infect personal computers with a completely different type of virus.

“So far many of these domains appear to be opportunistic registrations, but some will be used for phishing attempts to trick people into clicking (malicious) links.” Lindsay Kaye, chief operating officer at Recorded Future, told Reuters. And for a very different concern about the vaccine, check out the new strain COVID could “weaken” the vaccine, an expert warns.

Some scammers demand payment to be placed on vaccine waiting lists.

The HHS recently reported that new scams are developing with the release of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. This includes fraudsters who contact by email, text, phone call, or home visit and attempt to obtain health insurance numbers, financial information, or credit card numbers to prepay and secure a place on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list. Criminals will then use this information to commit identity theft.

The HHS website warns that “the government and state officials will not call you to obtain personal information in order to receive the vaccine, and you will not be called door to door to receive the vaccine.” They add that you “should not reply to text messages about COVID-19 from unknown individuals or open hyperlinks in these” and “beware of any unexpected calls or visitors offering COVID tests or supplies- 19 “. And to learn more about areas where the vaccine might be needed, check out Dr Fauci said the COVID vaccine might be mandatory here.

And you should always beware of long-standing COVID testing scams.

Unfortunately, the COVID-related scams predate the release of vaccines. HHS and FBI warn that some attempts to steal money or sensitive information have been underway for months, with the HHS website stating that “fraudsters also continue to offer COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in return for personal details, including Medicare information. However, the services are unapproved and illegitimate. “

The agency recommends that everyone be wary of unsolicited contact from anyone claiming to offer COVID-related services and contact local authorities if you suspect a foul play. And for more on how the virus is progressing right now, check out This is how severe the COVID outbreak is in your condition.