COVID Vaccinated? Watch Out For Post Survey Scam

Delaware County Public Health is warning about a new national scam reported by the FBI related to the coronavirus pandemic that is targeting people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here's how the scam works:

After getting your COVID-19 shot, you may receive a text or an e-mail asking you to  respond to a post-vaccine survey. If you fill out the survey, you get a prize or cash for participating.

The FBI states that none of the vaccine makers (Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson) are conducting any kind of surveys related to the COVID-19 vaccine so if you get one of these solicitations, DO NOT RESPOND to it. Any emails or text messages that appear to come from vaccine manufacturers asking for personal or financial information are fraudulent.

The FBI is warning people who have been vaccinated to stop posting pictures of their vaccine cards on social media or websites. Criminals can use the personal information on the card to commit fraud using your information.

Get our free mobile app

If you are the victim of a COVID-19 related scam or suspect that a scam attempt has been made on you, here's what the FBI says to do:

• Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866-720-5721 or online at justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm
• Report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov
• Contact your local FBI field office or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov

It seems like on a daily basis, we all have to be on guard against scammers who either try to call, email or text us with some call to action, leading us to give them just enough personal information to commit fraud in your name. And it always amazes me how clever these scammers are with their ability to be very convincing that they are legitimate. I find myself screening every single call I get now! And if I get an email or text from someone I don't know, I just delete it. Needless to say, it's hard to keep up with all the ways that scammers try to get our personal information. Just keep a critical eye on ANY type of solicitation.