December 16, 2020 — As the COVID-19 vaccine gets distributed across the country, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning that scammers will be right there too.  “Watch out for everything from phony treatments to phishing messages attempting to trick you into sharing your passwords and personal information,” stated Jim Hegarty, president and CEO of the BBB serving Nebraska, South Dakota, The Kansas Plains and Southwest Iowa. “Some scammers are already targeting seniors by selling fake vaccines, promising to get them to the front of the line, or impersonating government officials.”

In one scam, you receive a phone call, text message or email from someone claiming to be from Medicare or Medicaid saying they can get you on an early list to get the vaccine. The caller promises a COVID-19 vaccine for a fee or asks you to share your credit card or social security information. “No one from Medicare or Medicaid is going to contact you to get you on a list or to pay for the vaccine. Even if you are in a nursing facility, they just are not going to do that!” said Hegarty. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), you likely will not pay for the vaccine out of pocket during this public health emergency.

Tips to Spot and Avoid a COVID-19 Vaccine Scam:
·         Don’t pay or give out your personal information in exchange for early access to the vaccine – Be wary of phone calls claiming to be your health care providers offering products, treatments or medicine to prevent the virus.

·         Research carefully – Scammers are very creative, so be skeptical of anything that seems too good – or crazy – to be true. Double-check any information about the vaccine with official news sources. Be aware that none of the vaccines can be currently purchased online or in stores.

·         Check with your doctor – If you want a vaccine early, reach out to your healthcare provider about your options. If you don’t have a primary care physician, check out the official website of your local health department for more information.

·         Don’t trust caller ID – Con artists and robocallers use technology called spoofing to modify what phone numbers appear on caller ID by impersonating phone numbers from neighbors, friends, businesses, the IRS and even the local police to try to get you to answer the call. Answering ID-spoofed calls indicates that you have an active phone line. Those are valuable to scammers who will put you on a “sucker list” – potentially opening your phone line up to more scam calls.

·         Ignore calls for immediate action – While you may want to be first in line for the vaccine, don’t let that sense of urgency cloud your judgment. Scammers try to get you to act before you think. Don’t fall for it.

·         Think the link may be real? Double-check the URL – Scammers often buy official-looking URLs to use in their cons. Be careful that the link is really what it pretends to be. If the message alleges to come from the local government, make sure the URL ends in “.gov.”  When in doubt, perform a separate internet search for the website.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the FTC, have also issued fraud alerts aimed at Americans waiting to get vaccinated against COVID-19 saying that you will not be asked for money to enhance your ranking for vaccine eligibility. If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Sign up for BBB Scam Alerts to receive weekly notices of emerging scams to avoid.