s on the Rise
COVID-19 Vaccine Scams Cybercriminals never let a good opportunity to scam people go to waste, so it is not surprising that they are taking advantage of people hoping to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Scammers are now trying to sell “fake vaccine appointments and knockoff vaccine cards” to unsuspecting victims desperate to get a vaccine appointment. The vaccine scams are all over the internet, and can be found on “eBay, in Google ads, and on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.” It doesn’t help that states are all following different procedures for vaccine rollout, making it easier for cybercriminals to sell the scam. The proud newly vaccinated people posting images of completed vaccine cards on social media aren’t helping either. The Better Business Bureau has warned against posting images of vaccine cards on social media, as it only helps the cybercriminals improve the authenticity of their fake vaccine cards. Each card also includes personally identifable information, including a person’s full name, date of birth, and vaccine site location.
How to Identify Vaccine Scams Fake vaccine cards are only one of the scams circulating around COVID-19 vaccinations. There are advertisements for fake vaccines, fake vaccine appointment registration websites, and email phishing campaigns to watch out for as well. You may see a “state seal” on the email or the site, but don’t be fooled. The Federal Trade Commission shared some tips on how to identify these scams. No one will ask for money upfront for an appointment or for “reserving a spot on a waitlist.” A real vaccine appointment notification will not ask you to provide your social security number, credit card number or banking information. The safest way to schedule an appointment is to visit your local public health department website. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine scams. Click here to access the Fraud Alert on COVID-19 Scams from the Office of the Inspector General.
“Smishing” using SMS Notifications “Smishing,” SMS phishing via text, has become an effective way for attackers to gain access to sensitive information. Messages “take the form of alerts” or notifications we frequently receive, making it easy for scammers to get clicks.
respond too quickly, states you owe money, or that your order was not delivered, don’t click the links. Instead, visit the website of the company or organization that “sent” the text and verify the information directly. Learn more about smishing here.
You can identify smishing by reading messages carefully. If a text makes an offer that appears to be “too good to be true,” prompts you to
Data Privacy & Security Service, Issue 22
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