Fraudulent Industry Related to Covid-19 Vaccines

COVID-19 has had quite an impact on our lives in many different ways, but there has been an increase in fraud when it comes to the Covid vaccine. The past twelve months have been filled with complaints to the federal government regarding Covid vaccine fraud. With people eager to receive their vaccine, it has become easy to be fooled with Covid vaccine fraud. Even legal cases are on the rise, with over 100 cases in motion to combat people that are capitalizing on this opportunity. Vaccine fraud has been occurring from the beginning of the pandemic with vaccine trial fraud, and the FBI continues to receive complaints on an ongoing basis. From fake websites advertising the opportunity to receive the vaccine to false information regarding the vaccine, it has become difficult to decipher what is real and what is vaccine fraud worth reporting. 

In the State of New York, there is an ongoing investigation relating to the attorney general’s office and Covid vaccine fraud. There was a healthcare provider located in Orange County that contacted state health officials to obtain doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. They chose to misrepresent themselves using Covid vaccine fraud practices to obtain these doses by way of Covid vaccine fraud, and then Parcare Community Health Network chose to vaccinate people who were not yet eligible to receive the vaccine.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that this type of Covid vaccine fraud and vaccine trial fraud could be penalized with a fine of up to $1 million.

There is a federal case pending in Maryland that targeted websites that claimed to be representing various biotechnology companies. They were developing their own vaccine trial fraud information to get people’s attention. Those people were then asked to provide their personal information to be put on a waiting list for the vaccine. Warnings have since been issued that ask people to keep an eye out for the request for tests and procedures, representatives that don’t seem quite right, and the request for money. The federal government is providing the COVID-19 vaccine free of charge to people in the U.S., so paying out of pocket isn’t something people should be encountering at this point in time.

To date, the United States has had more than 21 million cases of confirmed coronavirus. Over 357,000 people have died, according to data provided by John Hopkins University. The United States is lagging in its vaccine response, with less than 4.7 million doses have been administered. There are over 15 million doses that have been distributed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccine trial fraud warnings have been issued by the Federal Trade Commission, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and many medical offices across the U.S. As vaccine fraud has become a focus for the U.S. Justice Department, attention is being paid to those who are submitting fraudulent applications for government aid, vaccine distribution, loans for small business, price gouging for PPE, money laundering and much more.

Reserving Your Appointment and Avoiding Vaccine Fraud

When it comes time to reserve your spot for a vaccine, you’ll likely be booked many weeks out. This has to do with local response, vaccine distribution, and availability. You will never be asked to pay a fee to reserve your spot. If you are, you are experiencing fraudulent activity. The information that you will be required to provide isn’t much more involved than your name and birth date. You shouldn’t be asked for your social security number, bank account information, etc. You can contact the office of your trusted medical professional if you’re unsure who you should call or where you should go to receive a legitimate COVID-19 vaccine.

Contact the office of your trusted medical professional if you’re unsure who you should call or where you should go to receive a legitimate COVID-19 vaccine.

Fraudulent Phone Calls

Unless you have put yourself on a waiting list with your county or a local facility that is distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, you should not be receiving phone calls from anyone claiming to have available vaccines. This is vaccine fraud. You will need to contact the appropriate parties to acquire an appointment for your vaccine. Do not provide any personal information to someone that has called you, claiming to work in the medical field unless you know who you are talking to. These vaccine fraud phone calls are no different than phone calls that are from identity thieves trying to get you to ‘extend your vehicle’s warranty’ or sign up for ‘discounted prescription coverage’.

Where Can You Find Trustworthy Information?

The FDA’s website is the place to go if you’re looking for information on the emergency use COVID-19 vaccine. You may also have a website that you can visit which is run by your local government agency, county health department, etc. Your local government officials should be relaying information regarding reputable vaccine sites in the area so you know where you should be going for your vaccine. Local pharmacies and other facilities may be offering them as well. Stick to the places that you know you can trust to be reputable. This isn’t a good time to head out to a location that you don’t know to receive the vaccine. The CDC also provides useful information located at COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC.

Only official government websites should be providing information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. If you have any concerns that you’re not speaking to a legitimate person that is trying to provide you with the vaccine, then it’s a good idea to report this vaccine fraud information. We’re all eager to put the coronavirus pandemic behind us, but we must protect ourselves while we wait for our turn. Dishonest parties know that there are vulnerable adults that are desperate for the protection that the vaccine provides. These people will be targeted with vaccine fraud in hopes of gaining useful information. Acting on official information rather than emotions is necessary.