Eventbrite sites posing as local Florida health departments allegedly targeted senior citizens in the state, charging money for fake vaccination appointments, prompting local health officials to alert residents on Monday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantisGovernors respond to violence on Capitol website flaws mark initial launches of coronavirus vaccines Eventbrite sites targeting Florida senior citizens charge money for fake vaccination appointments MORE (R) issued an executive order on December 23 stating that those 65 and older would be among the first people in the general public to receive the vaccine, after health professionals and those living in long-term care facilities.
According to the Pasco County Health Department spokesman Melissa Watts, some elderly people recently arrived at the town’s vaccination posts claiming to have scheduled appointments, only to discover that their reservation was fraudulent, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Eventbrite websites reportedly charged people to schedule appointments, prompting Pasco and Pinellas county officials to notify residents that there is no cost to register for a COVID-19 vaccine.
“There may still be people thinking that they have commitments and they don’t. It’s really a shame, ”Watts told the Times, adding that Pasco’s department is still unsure how many people have scheduled appointments through Eventbrite’s websites.
Both the Pasco and Pinellas health departments tweeted on Monday notifying users of the fake registration pages, adding: “You should NOT be charged to register. Registration is FREE. “
The departments tweeted that the only way to schedule a vaccine appointment is through the official websites of the county health departments.
Someone created a FAKE Eventbrite account to register for the COVID-19 vaccination. You should NOT be charged to register. Registration is FREE.
The ONLY way to register at this time is to visit our website at https://t.co/XEV02GdrN6 and go to VACCINE DISTRIBUTION. pic.twitter.com/qYKCqxsh5a
– FL Health Pasco (@HealthyPasco) January 4, 2021
Someone created a FAKE Eventbrite account to register for the COVID-19 vaccination. You should NOT be charged to register. Registration is FREE.
The ONLY way to register at this time is by visiting our website at https://t.co/KQDZrmEsgR or by calling 727-824-6900
– FL Health Pinellas (@HealthyPinellas) January 4, 2021
The Pinellas Health Department tweeted Tuesday morning that, “anyone who made an appointment through Eventbrite’s fraudulent website does not have a valid vaccination reservation, ”but that“ programmers will work with these individuals to put them on the schedule ”.
Anyone who made an appointment through Eventbrite’s fraudulent website does not have a valid vaccination reservation with the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County. However, planners will work with these individuals to put them on the schedule
– FL Health Pinellas (@HealthyPinellas) January 5, 2021
The news comes as the Times reported challenges for seniors across Florida to schedule appointments to receive the coronavirus vaccine, with overwhelming demand clogging phone lines and website servers on Monday.
Due to high demand and technical problems, Pinellas County suspended registration online and by phone at 7 pm, and the Hillsborough County Health Department expanded the call center hours from 8 am to 8 pm, starting on Tuesday to try to answer the demand.
The challenges with the distribution of vaccines come as the Sunshine State recorded a total of almost 1.4 million cases of COVID-19, with more than 22,000 deaths due to the virus and more than 63,000 hospitalizations.
Last week, Florida health officials announced that they had detected the first case of the state of the new most infectious strain of the coronavirus found for the first time in the UK. Colorado and California also detected cases of the new variant.
The Hill contacted the governor’s office and the state health department about false vaccine markings.