With more people eligible to get vaccinated in Michigan on Monday, scammers are trying to take advantage of people who are desperate to get an appointment.
Most involve payments made to secure a spot, which is something you will never need to do.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning residents about vaccine scams and offering tips to help recognize the scams.
“People obviously are desperate to get vaccinated and to protect themselves,” Nessel said. “We just want people to be safe and careful in doing so.”
She wants residents to know that they will never have to pay for a vaccine. If someone is trying to get you to pay for it, don’t trust them. Nessel said insurance companies might be billed for administrative costs, but residents should never pay out of pocket.
“You should never have to pay to get a COVID-19 vaccine,” Nessel said. “It doesn’t matter what company has manufactured that particular vaccine, it’s free for everyone. So if anyone tries to get you to pay for it, don’t fall for it.”
Then there are phoney calls in which scammers are trying to get personal information by offering a way to get to the front of the line or under the guise of checking on your appointment -- even if you ever made one.
“They’ll ask for people’s personal information like their social security number,” Nessel said. “You don’t have to provide your social security number to get the vaccine. If someone’s trying to obtain your social security number, it’s a scam. It’s 100% scam and they’re trying to rip you off.”
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Scammers will try to capitalize on these unprecedented times and take advantage of people by using a variety of tactics. I encourage people to follow these simple tips by the @FTC to make sure they don’t fall victim to a scam. pic.twitter.com/Ko1eak9KAN
— Dana Nessel (@dananessel) March 5, 2021