Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe on Thursday advised San Mateo County residents to be on the lookout for scams involving the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
And that's because, he said, fraudsters may try to exploit the uncertainty and anxiety associated with emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic to take people's money or steal their identities.
The scams, so far detected by county authorities, include someone offering, for a fee, to place you in a group of people who are already being vaccinated so that you will also receive the immunization.
Also, try to sell you a place on the waiting list for the COVID-19 vaccine, or sell it to you through websites, social media or by knocking on your door.
Receiving calls, text messages or e-mails about the vaccine, where a person asks for personal or financial information, is also part of the strategies used by this type of scammers.
In view of the latter, the authorities request that NEVER share information such as your social security number, bank account or credit card.
Another form of quackery are all those advertisements for bogus vaccines or "miracle cures" using vitamins or other dietary supplements, as the scammers promote them even though they have not been proven to work.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to many companies for selling products that claim to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19.
The county also specifies that if a doctor, health care clinic, pharmacy, or so-called county health program, which is not well known in your locality, offers you a vaccine, "think twice and consult with your physician"..
"Residents and businesses can protect themselves from becoming victims of COVID-19 scams by relying on vaccines and other medical information only from trusted sources, such as their personal health care providers and county, state and federal public health officials," San Mateo County said in a statement.
It is important to know that if you wish to report a COVID-19 scam in San Mateo County, you should contact the District Attorney's Office at (650) 363-4651, https://da.smcgov.org/consumer-and-environmental-protection or your local police department.
It should be emphasized that the use of masks, social distancing and frequent hand washing remain important to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
