County of SLO health officials are getting reports of scams involving COVID-19 vaccines & remind residents: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers are using telemarketing calls, email, text messages, social media platforms, & door-to-door visits to perpetrate COVID-19 vaccination-related fraud/scams.

HOW TO SPOT COVID VACCINE SCAMS – watch for these signs:

• Being asked to pay out of pocket to get the vaccine sooner.
• Requirements to provide credit card information for “shipping purposes.”
• Charging a fee to gain access to a vaccine or to add a person’s name to a vaccine waiting list.
• Offers by marketers to sell or ship doses of vaccine for payment.
• Receiving ads or surveys for vaccines through social media platforms or unfamiliar email addresses.
• Claims of FDA approval for a vaccine or treatment of which you’ve never heard

“The vaccine brings great promise that we will soon be able to return back to a more normal life. Unfortunately, some people want to take advantage of people’s desire to get vaccinated for their own criminal benefit.” – Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer

If you are unsure a message you receive is legitimate, reach out to family, friends, or the SLO County Phone Assistance Center (805) 543-2444,  where a staff member will help you determine if it is real or a scam.

Read more about this issue: SLO County’s Health Agency

Stay up to date on vaccines & more: CHC’s COVID-19 Patient Resource Center