The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) warned individuals about scammers attempting to sell COVID-19 vaccines or spots on the vaccine wait list. The messaging was addressed to all Tennesseans, but heavily emphasized relaying the warning to the elderly.
TDH listed several common tactics they’d learned were being solicited by door-to-door scammers. These scams encouraged individuals to issue a payment in order to obtain the vaccine, placement on a vaccine priority list, and early access to the vaccine.
ATTENTION TENNESSEANS: Please beware of vaccine scams. If you have a grandparent or another loved one who is a senior citizen, we encourage you to talk with them about not becoming a victim to these types of scams. pic.twitter.com/kwDMzEo3qH
— TN Dept. of Health (@TNDeptofHealth) January 14, 2021
This is the second public announcement warning citizens of scams concerning the coronavirus. Back in October, The Tennessee Star reported that scammers were targeting investors with promises of “miracle cures” and purportedly innovative technologies. The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) Securities Division explained that scammers posed as companies raising money to invest in health care products that could detect, treat, or cure COVID-19.
The Star inquired for additional details from TDH regarding the amount and nature of the reports filed on these scams. Their spokespersons didn’t respond by press time.
Additionally, scammers have been posing as Medicare, public health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials, and vaccine distribution site and healthcare representatives in order to obtain private information concerning a person’s Medicare, Social Security, credit cards, and back accounts.
Coronavirus-related scams have encompassed more than vaccinations. The Knoxville Police Department (KPD) issued a warning on Friday concerning stimulus check scams. They noted that one of the main forms of scamming occurred with fraudulent checks and calls about overpayment. The scammer would then request that the victim pay back the overage through a prepaid Visa, gift card, or green dot card.
“These are common scams, but are very difficult to investigate due to the relative anonymity of the suspect(s),” wrote KPD. “[T]he only legitimate stimulus checks will be sent by the U.S. government. The IRS will not call, text, email, or contact you via social media to request personal information or payment.”
Current information about eligibility and enrollment for valid COVID-19 vaccinations is available on the state’s website dedicated solely to COVID-19 matters.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
