January 12, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccination Scams and How to Report Suspicious Behavior

This article was archived from the previous WordPress site. Formatting and media should be close, but may not match the original post perfectly.

As the COVID-19 vaccine continues to become available to more people, Connecticut residents should be on alert for potential scams related to the vaccine. The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) has advised that residents keep an eye out for certain warning signs that can help them avoid being scammed.

Here are a few important reminders to be mindful of:

No one from a legitimate vaccine distribution site will ever ask for your Social Security number of bank information in order to receive a vaccine. Nobody will ever need to pay to get early access to the vaccine.
While patients may be asked to provide health insurance information when they receive the vaccine, health insurance is not required to receive it.
Patients will never be asked to pay to put their name on a list to receive the vaccine.
Internet scammers may post as legitimate businesses or organizations related to the distribution of the vaccine in an effort to steal personal or financial information.
People should ensure that emails related to the vaccine are coming from legitimate sources before clicking links or opening attachments.
When providing personal information, people should double check the URL to ensure its legitimacy.
There are a limited number of federally approved vaccines and treatments. People should be aware of anyone offering a “miracle cure,” treatment, or medication that claims to prevent the virus and is not one of the federally approved vaccines.

If anyone becomes aware of a vaccine-related scam or believes they may be the victim of a scam, they should file a complaint with state and local authorities:

Suspected fraud or business-related scams can be reported to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection by visiting ct.gov/DCP or sending an email to dcp.complaints@ct.gov.
Suspicious activities related to vaccine distribution practices or concerns for public health can be reported to local law enforcement or local public health officials.

For the most up-to-date information about where, when, and how to receive the vaccine in Connecticut, visit the state’s website at ct.gov/covidvaccine.

General information about the vaccine is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19.

The 2-1-1 information hotline is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns pertaining to state government. I can be reached by email at Gale.Mastrofrancesco@housegop.ct.gov or by phone at (800) 842-1423. You can also follow my legislative activity by visiting my website at www.repmastrofrancesco.com or my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/repgale.

Sincerely,

State Representative Gale Mastrofrancesco