With the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, is it any wonder that scam artists already have started capitalizing on it?
To protect yourself and your wallet, get up to speed on how the vaccine will be distributed and its costs.
Both AARP and the Federal Trade Commission have issued warnings about potential scams related to the vaccine. Here’s some information to keep in mind.
- Vaccine doses, funded with U.S. taxpayer dollars, are free to patients.
- You can’t pay to add your name to a list to get the vaccine.
- You can’t pay to get early access or bump yourself closer to the top of a list to get the vaccine.
- You won’t be called and asked for your Social Security number, bank account, credit card numbers, Medicare number, or other personal data to get the vaccine.
- Don’t buy the COVID-19 vaccine or treatments on the internet or from an online pharmacy.
- Ignore robocalls and in person, online, or email solicitations that ask you to pay for a vaccine or share personal information.
- Don’t respond to text messages or emails, and don’t click on hyperlinks included in messages about the vaccine.
- Only rely on trusted sources — your doctor or local health department — for vaccine information and scheduling.
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