By Shannin Prather
April 2021 | 2021 Spring Newsletter
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are warning the public about scammers using the public’s interest in COVID-19 vaccines to obtain personal information and money through various schemes.
You cannot pay to put your name on a waiting list to get the vaccine or get early access to the vaccine. Do not share your personal or financial information if someone calls, texts, or emails you, promising access to the vaccine for a fee.
Medicare and Medi-Cal cover COVID-19 vaccines at no cost. If anyone contacts you and asks you to share your Medicare or Medi-Cal number, or to pay for access to the vaccine, it is a guaranteed scam.
Learn more about protecting yourself from Medicare fraud at medicare.gov.
If you believe you have been the victim of a COVID-19 fraud, report it to the FBI by calling (800) 225-5324. To learn more on how to protect yourself from these scams, visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center website at ic3.gov.