For the first time there was news about a vaccine. Now come the scams.

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Several government organizations have warned against scammers promising access to the vaccine in exchange for sensitive personal information, as well as against companies selling fake treatments that promise to cure or prevent Covid-19.

“The FBI has received complaints from scammers who use public interest in COVID-19 vaccines to obtain personally identifiable information and funds through various schemes,” the FBI wrote in a statement to CNN.

The agency told CNN it plans to remain vigilant as “scammers continue to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic for personal gain.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is working to stop the sale of unapproved Covid-19 drugs, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent warning letters to seven companies selling products with “ scientifically unsupported claims’ to cure the infected. .
“Selling fake vaccines and other treatments is probably just one of the many ways that scammers will try to make money from releasing vaccines,” the Better Business Bureau warned in a press release. “Beware of phishing messages that try to trick you into sharing your passwords and personal information.”

What people can do to stay safe

Where interest and uncertainty exist, there is no doubt scams. The pandemic is a perfect example of this.

“It’s not surprising at all,” Katherine Hutt, BBB national spokesman, told CNN. “In fact, a few weeks ago, as soon as it looked like the vaccine came out, we started warning people about these scams.”

The BBB has a list of recommendations for people to identify these scams. They include consulting your personal physician, ignoring a phone call asking for “immediate action,” and double-checking any information you receive with information from reputable news sources.
While 2.9 million doses of the vaccine are reported to have made their way to the US, it is nowhere near what is needed for mass distribution, especially as individuals require two doses each. In addition, selected groups such as health professionals and people in long-term care facilities will be given priority over the general public.

“Because we know that not everyone will be able to get it right away, there is also the issue of scarcity,” said Hutt. “[Scammers] will try to make you decide on the spot, they will tell you if you don’t act today you will miss the opportunity. You are asked to make a decision before you have time to think about it. ”

Pandemic scams are nothing new

The pandemic has resulted in a massive spike in pet scams

While news of a vaccine will inevitably lead to new scams, nefarious pandemic-related schemes have already been a problem.

Since the start of the pandemic, the FTC has received more than 20,000 complaints about text messages and robocalls offering testing kits, fake treatments, and pandemic-related help. There are also more than 4,000 reports of pet scams during the pandemic.

Scammers will often pay attention to anything newsworthy, Hutt points out.

“We know that scammers are very good at paying attention to the news or pop culture that people are talking about,” she says. “With the Affordable Care Act, we saw a lot of related scams – people asking for information, or claiming that if they didn’t provide that information now, they would lose their insurance. [Scams] are very topical depending on what’s going on in the world. ”

Ultimately, the best way to vaccinate you against such predatory schemes is to stay informed.

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