Recognizing COVID-19 Vaccine Scams

As COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) vaccines become more readily available to the public, it is important to recognize the potential vaccine scams you may encounter over the phone, by email, or online.

Here are four red flags that may indicate a potential scam, according to the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG):

• You’re asked to pay out of pocket for the vaccine.

• You’re asked to pay to put your name on a vaccine waitlist or to pay to get early access to the vaccine.

• You encounter and engage with advertisements for vaccines through social media, emails, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited and unknown sources.

• Someone offers to sell or ship the vaccine to you for payment.

As a reminder, be cautious when reviewing vaccination information. Do not provide any personal information such as your Social Security number or Medicare number to an unknown caller or online source.

If you believe you have been a victim of COVID-19 fraud, report the incident to

• HHS-OIG Hotline: 1-800-HHS-TIPS or tips.hhs.gov

• FBI Hotline: 1-800-CALL-FBI or ic3.gov

• CMS/Medicare Hotline: 1-800-MEDICARE

You may also report potential fraud happenings to Select Health by contacting Member Services at 800-538-5038.

To learn more about potential vaccination scams, visit Fraud Alert: COVID-19 Scams, which is frequently updated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

At Select Health, your health and privacy are important, especially during these difficult and unprecedented times.

Related: Select Health’s COVID-19 Coverage