Watch out for COVID-19 vaccine scams
There has been a huge upsurge in scams since the start of the global COVID-19 outbreak. Fake treatments, fake versions of real treatments, fake medical products including personal protective equipment, and fraud surrounding everything from unemployment payments to business relief aid.
COVID-19 vaccines are modern medical miracles produced in record time with a high effectiveness rate. Everyone should get one, but the rollout will take time. In the meantime COVID scammers are preying on the public to try and make a buck, and in some cases, endangering their lives.
PSM is running a public safety campaign to warn Americans about COVID vaccine counterfeiters. Want to help? Click here for images and messaging to share.
COVID vaccine counterfeiters are preying on the public. Learn about the three kinds of scams we've been seeing.
We've seen three broad categories of crime
Vaccines Signups Dangled for Financial and Identity Theft
COVID scammers create fake vaccination signup websites and ask for money or personal information, presumably for future identity theft. They promote the sites to victims in email or via text message.
Mobile phone vaccine scam
in the UK (Source: The Independent)
Fraudulent Moderna Website (Source: ICE.gov)
vaccine swindles
- Windsor Mill Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Fraud Scheme Purporting to Sell COVID-19 Vaccines | USAO-MD | Department of JusticeOctober 29, 2021
- Covid-Related Scams Have Bilked Americans out of $586 MillionOctober 18, 2021
- FDA Warns Public vs Branded COVID Vaccines Allegedly Sold OnlineSeptember 30, 2021
- That Email Asking for Proof of Vaccination Might be a Phishing ScamAugust 25, 2021
- Demand For Fake COVID Vaccination Cards Up 257% Since March, Cybersecurity Expert Says – CBS DenverAugust 12, 2021
Diversion: Shots For Sale Where They Shouldn't Be
Diversion is the term for when legitimate medical products end up somewhere unexpected in the supply chain. There's no guarantee that sensitive products have been kept at the right temperatures, and sometimes when they re-enter the supply chain they are mixed in with counterfeits.
Screenshot of an ad from the dark web (Source: Vice.com)
vaccine diversion
- The Race Is on to Recover Looted Vaccines and MedicineJuly 29, 2021
- COVID Vaccines Stolen at Florida State HospitalJanuary 14, 2021
- Polk County Paramedic Arrested, Captain Accused in Vaccine Theft, Sheriff SaysJanuary 26, 2021
- St. Pete City Council Left in the Dark on Theft of COVID-19 Vaccine Vials, Investigation into Fire Department EmployeeFebruary 4, 2021
- Cape Coral Police Investigating Stolen Vials of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 VaccineApril 8, 2021
Fake Substances Sold As Vaccines
In just a few months, there have been an alarming number of incidents, large and small, in which scammers have tried to pass off entirely fake vaccines as real. Many have even been injected into patients.
DoJ indicted Seattle-area microbiologist Johnny Stine for injecting people with a fake vaccine in January. Watch our video to learn more.
Fake Vaccines
- Utah Doctor and Co-Defendants Charged for Running a COVID-19 Vaccine Scheme to Defraud the Government and CDCJanuary 18, 2023
- Utah Plastic Surgeon Sold Fake Covid-19 Vaccine Cards for $50, U.S. SaysJanuary 24, 2023
- Naturopath Who Sold Fake Vaccine Cards Gets Nearly 3 YearsNovember 29, 2022
- Purveyor of Fake COVID-19 Vaccines SentencedMarch 8, 2022
- Smuggling Covid-19 Test Kits, Medicine Rampant in MarketMarch 7, 2022