WACO, Texas — Since the pandemic began there have been more Covid-19 related scams, according to the Better Business Bureau.
The most recent is vaccine related. Now that vaccine distribution is in full swing, scammers are quick to take advantage.
The Better Business Bureau and the FBI warning people of vaccine-related scams after getting reports of cons ranging from callers phishing for personal information, to phony messages claiming you need to pay to guarantee your dose.
"We have already seen people impersonating the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, and usually that's an effort in phishing to get your personal information," Amy Rasor said, the Fort Worth regional director for the Better Business Bureau.
To avoid becoming a victim, the BBB has several tips.
-Make sure you know your region's plan for rolling out the vaccine.
-Research carefully and be skeptical of what seems too good to be true.
-Check with your doctor. Your health care provider or public health department should tell you about your options.
-Guard your government-issued numbers and never give out any personal information.
-If you're given a link that looks odd, double check the URL.
"If you're entering any kind of personal information into a website check up at the top where the web address is, you want to make sure the lock symbol is there with 'https' the 's' stands for secure," Rasor said.
According to the BBB, scammers take advantage when people are in a state of fear and uncertainty, which is why during the pandemic, they're cashing in.
If you've spotted a scam in your area, you can report it on the BBB Scam Tracker website.
For more information: https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/23475-bbb-scam-alert-as-covid-19-vaccine-rolls-out-scammers-cash-in
Here’s the scam tracker: https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WacoBBB/