coronavirus

There are only two ways to get a Covid-19 vaccine—wait your turn or skip the Covid-19 vaccine line. As if coronavirus wasn’t enough, scammers are taking advantage of the public’s vaccine anxiety. Here’s what you need to know to avoid becoming the victim of a scam that could cost you.

The legit route – wait your turn

It’s pretty simple, right? For many, this is the best route to follow. Age, profession, and even geography can impact how long someone has to wait for a vaccine. I consider myself lucky to have gotten my first dose on January 30th. But, what about those who aren’t in my age group? Or who don’t have the right kind of job? Or who simply live in the ‘wrong’ place?

Vaccine hunting – the semi-legit route to skip the Covid-19 vaccine line

If you’re not eligible to receive a vaccine right away, there’s a new phenomenon called vaccine hunting. Vaccine hunting came about because some vaccine doses were spoiling and ending up in the trash. With their desire to see no dose go to waste, enterprising vaccine hunters started calling pharmacies to see if they might have extra doses on any given day. The process is very time consuming. Beware, it might even be necessary to stake out a pharmacy early to grab a place in line. Some vaccine hunters are so committed to this approach that they’ve created Facebook groups to help others. Not everyone agrees that vaccine hunting is ethical, but it’s certainly legal and it does make sure otherwise lost doses don’t go to waste.

The money route – not always legit or safe

Where there’s money, there are scams. The Ohio Better Business Bureau reported that they’re getting reports of people receiving phone calls telling them they’re eligible to receive a vaccine. The catch? You have to pay money or give up your health insurance information to get the shot.

In Nevada, a health plan is warning its customers if they get a call that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. The stories are the same across the country as these Covid-19 scams proliferate.

Three tips to avoid a Covid-19 scam

1) Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are calling to pitch everything from fake coronavirus treatments, to work at home schemes to get your money, and personal information
2) Ignore offers for vaccinations and home test kits. Right now, scammers are selling products to treat or prevent the coronavirus with no evidence that they work
3) Fact check information. Scammers, and sometimes well meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified. Before you pass information on, check trusted sources like federal, state, and local government websites

https://mynews4.com/news/local/prominence-health-plan-warns-nevadans-of-vaccine-scammers

Did you like this scam tip? If so, check out last month’s scam tip, Three coronavirus scams and how to avoid them.

Free face masks?

If your first reaction is, what do I have to do to get one? Think again. This is a scam in which a bad actor offers free face masks in exchange for your Medicare or Social Security number. Obviously, you know not to give out your Social Security number. Right? Please tell me you do. But a Medicare number? Why would anyone want that? It turns out, for a lot of reasons.

Medicare fraud is big business

In 2017 alone, it’s estimated that the amount of Medicare fraud was more than $50 billion. If your Medicare card falls into the wrong hands, it can be used in these scams and you might find yourself an unwitting accomplice.

Tip #1: Protect your Medicare Number and only give out the number to medical service providers you know.

Free face masks for your Medicare Number

After any disaster or national emergency, scammers look for new lures to use in their schemes. Face masks are one of those current hot items. Scammers are cashing in on the need for face masks by posing as Medicare representatives or medical service providers and offering free masks.

Tip #2: Medicare won’t call you unless you call them first.

Masks for sale!

We’ve heard plenty over the past few months about N-95 face masks. While these single-use masks are the best available, according to the CDC, these masks should be reserved for medical personnel. That hasn’t stopped the market from offering them for sale, though. The scammers, of course, know this and are selling their own version of N-95 masks on places like Facebook, Instagram, and news sites. Unfortunately, the masks they send—if they send one at all—are cheaply made paper.

Tip #3: Save your money! Make your own mask with household materials.

Tip #4: Spend wisely. If you do buy a mask, don’t buy from an ad on social media, especially Facebook (a haven for misinformation). Instead, buy from a reputable reseller.

Tip #5: Protect your money. For any purchases you make online, be sure to use a credit card. This allows you to dispute a charge if something goes wrong.

Check out last month’s contact tracing scam tip.