Health officials warn of COVID-19 vaccine scams
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BAY COUNTY, Mich. (WNEM) — The first COVID-19 vaccines could be available by the end of the month, which has the Department of Homeland Security getting involved as they expect a rush of new scams as the vaccines begin to roll out.
The department fears of phony vaccines popping up in look-alike packaging. It would join the fake PPE, false cures, and extortion schemes already prevalent in the pandemic.
Drug companies are putting safeguards and brand-protection features in place, but not immediately. For now, the Bay County Health Department says don’t fall for false promises online.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. And like I said before, there are no known cures for COVID-19,” said Joel Strasz, health officer for the Bay County Health Department.
A database for spotting fakes and cracking down on fraud being developed is monitoring tens of thousands of websites selling fake cures online.
“There are effective treatments, whether It’s in the form of steroid treatments or antiviral treatments, or even monoclonal antibodies. But those are all usually done within in-patient settings,” Strasz said.
More than 70,000 websites are selling some type of COVID-19 fraud. Millions of unwrapped products and pharmaceuticals have already been seized. More than 1,000 fake websites a day have been removed during the pandemic in the U.S. alone.
“Most people are just gonna have to ride the virus out as much as they can at home by isolating themselves and quarantining themselves if they are in close contact,” Strasz said.
The Department of Homeland Security said you should only receive a vaccine from an approved medical provider.
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