As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, more and more scammers are targeting those desperate to get vaccinated or wanting to book their second shot.

So what are the tell-tale signs you need to watch out for in order to avoid falling victim to scammers? How can you spot fake COVID-19 links? And how can you report these scams?

How to Spot Coronavirus Vaccine Scams

COVID-19 vaccination center sign

Thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, scammers are using all of the known methods to steal people's money or their personal information—including telemarketing calls, emails, text messages, and many others. But how to know for sure that someone is trying to scam you?

Here are some signs that you should look out for to avoid getting scammed by another Coronavirus vaccination fraudster.

Sign 1: You've Received a Text Message or Email to Fill Out a Post-Vaccine Survey

Many people claim that after receiving the Coronavirus vaccine, they got an email or text message from the vaccine manufacturer asking them to participate in a survey. And in return, they offer people cash or some other kind of reward.

Such surveys will ask you for your credit card or bank account details, which is already a sign that there's something fishy going on. If they were legitimate surveys, you'd never be asked to give out this information.

If you get such a text message or email, then don't click on any links, and don't give out any personal details.

Simply block the phone number that sent you that message or mark the email as spam.

Sign 2: Have the COVID-19 Vaccine Shipped to You

Remember this—there are no "secret" vaccine distributors. It's impossible to buy a real Coronavirus vaccine over the phone or online and get it shipped to your doorstep.

The only places where you can get it is at authorized vaccination locations.

These scams similarly want your financial details, but you can't skip the queue by paying for it.

Related: Apple Maps Will Now Show You COVID-19 Vaccination Locations

Sign 3: You've Been Asked to Pay For the Waiting List or to Get Vaccinated Ahead of Schedule

A vaccination site will never contact you asking for a payment to get your name on a waiting list. The same applies to getting vaccinated ahead of schedule.

You'll never get a legitimate text message offering to administer you the shot right away because it's simply impossible for the health department to contact people asking for money for such a service. That's not the mention the ethical complications of it!

Sign 4: You've Been Contacted In-Person to Get the Vaccine

People have reported that they had fraudsters arriving completely out of the blue at their homes pretending to be representatives from legitimate vaccination sites.

They either offer you to set up a vaccination appointment at a certain time and place in exchange for cash.

Or even worse: they recommend you to get the vaccine administered right then and there. But who knows what's actually in that vaccine shot?

The bottom line is that no one with a real COVID-19 vaccine (or any other vaccine) will be walking around asking people to get vaccinated at their homes for money.

Tips to Avoid COVID-19 Vaccination Scams

vaccine shot

The only thing that can help you to stay protected from fraudsters is to stay vigilant at all times.

If you don't make any rash decisions and think twice before clicking on a suspicious Coronavirus email link or vaccine-related advertisement, you should be fine.

Here are some other tips that help you to avoid COVID-19 vaccine scams:

  • Don't share your vaccine card on social media. Criminals can easily steal personal information from that card to commit various types of fraudulent activity. They could even try contacting you to supposedly offer the second jab, which would be fake.
  • If you don't know how to securely book an appointment to get the vaccine shot, ask your doctor for help or resort to the local public health authorities.
  • Never respond to calls, text messages, or emails about the COVID-19 vaccination from unknown individuals. Report them instead (and we'll show you how).
  • Ignore Coronavirus vaccine advertisements on social media platforms.
  • Watch out for fake vaccine booking websites. They may look very similar to real ones, but, in the end, they will ask for your bank or credit card details. This is a sign that it's fake, and you shouldn't continue filling it out.
  • Avoid vaccine text messages. If you get a message asking you to reply with a text message to confirm that you want to get vaccinated, don't do it since you'll likely be charged extra on your phone bill.
  • Don't trust caller ID. Your phone's screen may be telling you that you are getting a legitimate phone call, but if the person is demanding money in exchange for a vaccine appointment, then they are definitely fraudsters.
  • Don't share any of your personal details over the phone with people claiming to be representatives from a vaccine distribution site. A health care worker will never call or text you asking for your SSN, bank account information, or credit card details to get you on a COVID-19 vaccination list.

Related: Facebook Launches Tools to Help Americans Get COVID-19 Vaccines

How to Report Suspected COVID-19 Vaccination Scams

Has someone tried to scam you or has already defrauded you? Then you need to report it.

While there is no guarantee that you'll be able to recover the stolen money, by reporting such a crime, you can help to prevent it from happening to other people.

Here's how to report a COVID-19 vaccination scam depending on your current location:

Don't Fall Victim to COVID-19 Scams

Unfortunately, since the beginning of the Coronavirus vaccination rollout, fraudsters started to use it to trick people into giving out their personal information, credit card details, or to commit medical identity theft. The best way to avoid such scams is to know the facts and not make any rash decisions when seeing something suspicious.