This month, I issued a Consumer Alert warning Floridians about COVID-19 vaccine product and distribution scams. With news that thousands of doses of coronavirus vaccines will be heading to Florida soon and consumers anxious to achieve immunity, scammers may exploit the situation to rip-off Floridians.
Once doses arrive, the swift and orderly distribution of the vaccine will be key to getting our state and country back on track.
With that said, I am asking all Floridians to be on the lookout for vaccine-related scams and report fraud. Scammers may try to exploit the sense of urgency surrounding the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to swindle those trying to protect their health.
The following tips can help Floridians avoid COVID-19 vaccine-related scams:
- Seek vaccine-related information from trusted health care professionals and government officials;
- Do not respond to solicitations about vaccines;
- Never send money or financial information to anyone offering a COVID-19 vaccine or claiming the ability to expedite the process; and
- Report suspicious solicitations or COVID-19 vaccine-related advertisements to my office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.
To view the latest alerts and to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 related scams, visit our Consumer Alert webpage by clicking http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases
By keeping a watchful eye out for scammers and following the advice of trusted health care professionals, we will get through this pandemic and build a Stronger, Safer Florida.
