The FBI, the inspector general office at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have warned the general public to be vigilant against potential scammers that want to illicitly obtain money from people interested in getting access to COVID-19 vaccines.
The bureau said Monday that it received vaccine-related fraud complaints and will coordinate with industry and other law enforcement organizations to address emerging schemes.
Fraudulent activities include advertised offers that ask potential victims to pay for fake vaccine reservations and additional medical testing and claims of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for unverified coronavirus treatments.
Some scammers also falsely claim to be an official associated with vaccine centers, insurance companies and medical organizations, the FBI noted.
The FBI advises U.S. citizens to consult state governments and the FDA's website for legitimate vaccine information and double-check online portals and email addresses in case they are just imitations of the actual ones.
