Vaccines offered through unexpected texts, emails or phone calls? Don’t fall for it.
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As we all hope that the end of the coronavirus pandemic, many people are understandably focused on the COVID-19 vaccine. Scammers know this. And while you dream of hugging loved ones, going to shows or just feeling safe inside a supermarket, they are busy designing vaccine-related phishing campaigns to trick you into delivering personal information, money or access to your device. .
Last month, the FBI issued an alert asking people to be cautious when opening emails and text messages from unknown senders who promise information on how to get a vaccine. So did the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a division of the United States Department of the Treasury. In addition, police in Florida, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions say they are seeing fraud continue to emerge. In the English county of Derbyshire, police say scammers sent texts with links to a website that meticulously mimicked the look of the UK National Health Service. The aim was to steal personal and financial information, officials said.
Scammers are also buying ads that offer selling vaccines directly to Internet users. They probably just want to steal your credit card information, but even if they sent you something that was intended to be a vaccine, it would be extremely dangerous.
Online scammers have used crises and big events to deceive people for years. The pandemic has created an attractive situation because the whole world is aware of the disease and the adversities it causes in everyone’s life. From a criminal’s point of view, it is a great opportunity to get many people to act against their best judgment. Scammers took advantage of this opportunity as soon as the pandemic spread, offering snake oil cures that never materialized in exchange for credit card numbers or hacking their target’s computers.
Vaccines now offer scammers another bait for their targets.
“These attacks affect our desire for information in times of uncertainty,” said Tony Pepper, CEO of cybersecurity company Egress. The attacks, says Egress, can be “incredibly convincing”, especially for older people, who are at the top of the vaccine list and may be waiting for news from medical authorities.
Setting up a scam
Back in November, researchers at cybersecurity company Check Point noticed a significant increase in domain names for sites that reference vaccines. Scammers typically register a new domain name related to their scam when setting up a phishing campaign, to serve as a place to attract their targets.
The websites may contain legitimate-looking web forms designed to steal payment or health information, or they may host malicious software that is installed on your device when you visit them. Malicious software, or malware, can leave you vulnerable to ransomware attacks, pop-up ads This one make your device unusable and other intrusive hacker attacks.
Typically, you will find a vaccine scheme through an attractive message designed to make you respond. Check Point researchers found emails with subject lines including “pfizer Covid vaccine: 11 things you need to know.” This message contained a malicious file that, if opened, would infect the recipients’ computers with malware.
Fraudulent Vaccine Advertisements
If you search online for vaccine information, you may later see advertisements on various vaccine dose sites that you can order online. Scammers buy these ads because they know you have an interest in vaccines, in the same way that legitimate retailers can show you ads for rain boots for days after you look for rain clothes.
Vaccine ads are another scam to collect your financial information. Researchers at the fraud detection company Bolster found an ad claiming to sell China’s Sinovac vaccine, but the deal was clearly fraudulent. Registered in Panama, the site listed phone numbers shared by other companies, including a car wash service without water and a talent management agency.
Even if the company shipped something claiming to be a vaccine, direct sales of the actual COVID-19 vaccine are almost impossible because of the cost of maintaining the right cold temperature range for packaging at all times.
Avoiding vaccine-related fraud
The FBI recommends people to watch out for any e-mail, text message or phone call from a sender you do not recognize and provide information about the coronavirus vaccine. Instead, get your vaccine information from official sources, such as state and local health departments, the Food and Drug Administration, and your doctor.
Next, be aware that your health information can also be used for medical identity theft. Disclose your health or insurance information only to professionals you know and trust, and monitor your insurance claims to make sure that no one else is using your health insurance. In addition, don’t trust strangers who send unsolicited messages offering Medicare benefits, coronavirus tests or vaccines in exchange for your personal data, including your Medicare information. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, this is another scam that has become common in the pandemic.
Finally, whatever you do, don’t inject vaccines bought on the internet.
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended for medical or health advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.