They’re using text messages. They’re offering vaccination cards, and even COVID-19 testing. They’re scammers.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) is currently warning that providers that charge impermissible fees must refund them, and ensure that individuals are not charged any sum at all, for the COVID-19 vaccine – along with warning of fraudulent telemarketing calls and even door-to-door visits. Of particular concern are scammers pretending to be COVID-19 contact tracers.
“Legitimate contact tracers will never ask for your Medicare number or financial information, or attempt to set up a COVID-19 test for you and collect payment information for the test,” the OIG notes on its website.
Just how prevalent are these scams? Reporting our lead story during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be RACmonitor investigative reporter Ed Roche, who was among the very first to report on contact tracers during the early stages of the pandemic, here on Monitor Mondays and RACmonitor.
Other segments to be featured during the live broadcast include the following: