EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available, scams around the vaccine continue to grow.
Rep. Katie Stewart, D-Edwardsville, is reminding residents to watch out for possible scams promising early access to the vaccine in exchange for money or sensitive information.
“Supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine will be limited in the initial phases of distribution, so residents should be wary of anyone offering a chance to skip the line,” Stuart said in a release. “It’s unfortunate that even during a deadly pandemic, scammers are still trying to take advantage of people’s fears.”
Stuart's office said there are a few things to look for that may indicate if you're being taken by a scam. If you're being offered "early access", being asked to pay up front or makes a reference to a government-mandated vaccination program, you may want to investigate further.
If you encounter a COVID-19 vaccine scam, you can report it to the Illinois attorney general's complaint form by clicking here.
“If you have concerns about the validity of anything you’re seeing about the COVID-19 vaccine, our area health departments can be helpful in identifying misinformation,” said Stuart. “They are responsible for local vaccination efforts and have up-to-date knowledge on how and when you can expect to receive the vaccine.”
