Beware COVID-19 vaccine scams

As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues and more people are vaccinated, warnings have been issued by Pennsylvania officials to watch out for COVID-19 test and vaccine scams.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro warns that scammers are looking to take advantage of consumers by stealing their insurance information, money or both.

Any call you receive claiming you can cut in line to get the vaccine by paying out of pocket is a scam and should be reported to Shapiro’s office. You can file a complaint online at https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/submit-a-complaint/scams-complaint/.

Here are some tips to avoid testing and vaccine scams:

• If you receive a call from your insurance company, hang up and call the number on the back of your insurance card or prescription card to confirm whether the call is legitimate.

• Scammers will claim the costs are covered by insurance, but say they need additional information to process the shipment.

• Do not share information or make a payment.

In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance reports that cyber criminals take advantage of the fear and panic online users often experience.

Scammers may advertise fake cures, vaccines and advice on unproven treatments for COVID-19.

Beware of fake charity organizations that ask for donations for people and groups affected by COVID-19.

Scammers may also create mobile app scams designed to track the spread of COVID-19 and insert malware into that app, which can compromise users’ devices and personal information.

According to the American Association of Retired Persons, coronavirus scams have targeted many older people.

As of March 16, the Federal Trade Commission has logged more than 388,000 consumer complaints related to COVID-19. Fraudsters are using phony emails and websites promising easy and early access to the vaccine.

Scammers will stop at nothing to prey on you for your money and no topic is of limits.

As more and more residents receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we can hope that vaccine, testing and contact tracing scams will decline.

We have all received those dreaded robocalls offering everything from car warranties to claims that Social Security payments are in jeopardy.

Legitimate agents from the Social Security Administration will never call you and ask for credit card information, bank account information or name, address and birthday details.

The Federal Communications Commission says watch out for stimulus check-based scams as well. The agency says you will never receive a call or text asking you to verify your personal information or your bank account details to “release” the funds.

A little information like this can go a long way to ward off unscrupulous people trying to scam you out of your hard-earned money or retirement funds.

To keep yourself safer from fraud, you can get old documents with personal information securely shredded at my upcoming free shredding event.

My shredding event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 17, in the back parking lot of my office located at 409 N. Main St., Jays Commons.

Papers with personal information such as tax returns, bank and credit card statements, etc. will be shredded on site. There is a three box or bag maximum. This event is for personal papers; no businesses.

I hope to see you at my upcoming shredding event.