U.S. Attorney McCoy warns of coronavirus vaccine scams
COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy Jr. is urging South Carolinians to be wary of coronavirus vaccine scams now that distribution has begun.
“Having already seen supply scams, provider scams, economic impact scams, phishing scams, and even charity scams related to COVID-19 across the country, every South Carolinian should be extra cautious for the possibility of phony websites and other outreach claiming early access to the vaccine,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Everyone, particularly seniors and their caretakers, should be on high alert for fraudsters seeking to take advantage of their most vulnerable neighbors.”
According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 250,000 coronavirus related consumer complaints were reported through the beginning on December, with most of these cases involving fraud.
McCoy emphasized the large negative impact that scams like these have on our state. “Be it through robocalls, texts, emails or other means of communication, the potential for continued Coronavirus scams could be as rampant as the disease itself,” U.S. Attorney McCoy continued. “Not only do these criminals victimize the recipient of the scam, they can also cast doubt for many others to trust the legitimate work being done by honest, reliable providers.”
In order to stay vigilant and protect yourself from being scammed, McCoy offers several pieces of advice to South Carolinians. He says do not provide your social security number, payment or anyother personal information over the phone or when signing up for the vaccine. McCoy says to be wary of providers offering other products or medicine, and says you should check with your doctor before taking anything.
If you have fell victim to a scam, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or visit them online at www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
