COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Phone Scam Happening in MI

Be careful of this phone scam when trying to get a vaccine appointment.

No matter what is happening in the world, there will always be people out there trying to take advantage of others. Currently, there are some jerks in the world trying to take scam people when it comes to making appointments for a COVID-19 vaccination.

Get our free mobile app

Oakland County has begun to warn residents of a potential phone scam where these crooks are trying to steal financial and personal information from those seeking a vaccine. At first, the caller will ask residents questions to try and schedule them for a vaccine appointment. After that, they attempt to get personal and financial info that health officials would never ask for.

Oakland County will never ask for any financial information including credit card or social security numbers...If you are unsure if it is a scam, avoid sharing any personal information over the phone, and report it to the authorities...said Leigh-Anne Stafford, health officer for Oakland County. 

While this is happening a lot in Oakland County, it can also happen anywhere. Here are some tips to avoid being scammed:

• Keep a list of contact information for family, friends, health providers, and anyone who calls regularly.
• Let the call go to voicemail. Scammers tend not to leave messages.
• End the call if a stranger you don't know is asking for personal or financial information.
• Never share personal information like your social security number over the phone.

Scammers are sneaky so be on guard. I have been hacked and stolen from before and talking to anyone on the phone about personal information is a red flag to me.

Source: MLive