Fake vaccination survey scams are on the rise

As more people become vaccinated, officials have warned consumers that scams involving fake vaccination surveys are becoming much more common.

The surveys typically ask recipients to answer questions about their vaccination experience. However, the purpose is to steal their personal information.  

According to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, there are reports that scammers are claiming to be from drug companies and asking consumers to fill in the surveys online. 

These are being sent by email, text, or sometimes phone calls, and the scammers are claiming to be from Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson.

In some cases, scammers have also impersonated the CDC and other health officials. They may even offer money or prizes for filling in the survey about the COVID-19 vaccination. 

Because the CDC is currently conducting a genuine survey about vaccinations, it can be very difficult for consumers to determine which surveys are real and which ones aren’t. 

What to look out for

One of the biggest problems with this scam is that it seems pretty innocent. But, consumers could end up disclosing their personal information, including date of birth and Social Security numbers, and this is a major concern. 

For example, if someone gives out some of the personal data to a scammer, this could be used to steal their identity, set up credit accounts, or access their bank account. 

For consumers, it’s important to know how to tell a real survey from a fake one. To do this, there are four red flags to look out for: 

• Requests for personal information, like a Social Security number.
• The promise of some type of compensation for taking part.
• Misspellings or poor grammar in the email or text.
• The email asks you to click on an external link.

If you notice any of these warnings, you should check with a health agency, like the CDC, to see if the survey is legitimate.