Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box are warning Hoosiers of a new scam targeting consumers who have received their COVID-19 vaccine.
The Office of the Indiana Attorney General and the Indiana State Department of Health have recently learned that consumers are reportedly receiving unsolicited emails and text messages asking them to complete a survey about the Pfizer, Moderna, or AstraZeneca vaccine. In exchange, consumers are offered a free product, but asked to pay shipping and handling fees. Instead, the scammers bill them and never send the product.
“Hoosiers should keep their guard up, safeguard their personal information, and take steps to avoid becoming victims of a scam,” Attorney General Rokita said. “If you receive an unsolicited message offering money or a reward related to the COVID-19 vaccine, we encourage you to file a report with our Office’s Consumer Protection Division. Our Office relies, in part, on consumer complaints to conduct investigations into scams and scammers.”
Attorney General Rokita and the Office of the Indiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division offer the following tips for consumers to identify and avoid falling victim to a scam:
- Don’t give your financial, medical, or personal information to anyone claiming to offer money or gifts in exchange for your participation in a COVID-19 vaccine survey.
- Carefully examine any message that claims to be from a trusted source. Don’t call or use the number in the email or text. If you want to call the company that supposedly sent the message to verify its legitimacy, look up its phone number online.
- Don’t click on any links or open attachments. Doing so could install harmful malware that steals your personal information without you realizing it.
Hoosiers are encouraged to contact the Office of the Indiana Attorney General regarding any suspected scams or scam attempts. Consumers may file a complaint online by visiting indianaconsumer.com or by calling 1-800-382-5516.
To learn more about COVID-19 and the Indiana State Department of Health’s ongoing response, visit www.coronavirus.in.gov/.