The arrival of Covid-19 vaccines is a huge relief, but it also presents opportunities for fraudulent schemes. Easton Police Chief Richard Doyle wants to sound the alert to residents, especially older residents.
“We are particularly concerned about our seniors who can be the most vulnerable,” he said. “If they’re taken in, they generally don’t want to report it to the police, so getting the word out in advance is extremely important.
“Anyone who gets a suspicious call should refuse to respond, especially to callers who ask for social security numbers or financial information. Calls should be reported to the Easton police (203-268-4111) or the Westport, Weston, Easton Health District (203-227-9571).”
Governor Ned Lamont issued a press release detailing potential scams and warning residents to be on the lookout for vaccine misinformation. Below is a summary; the full release can be found here.
- No one from a legitimate vaccine distribution site will ever ask for your Social Security number of bank information in order to receive a vaccine.
- Nobody will ever need to pay to get early access to the vaccine.
- While patients may be asked to provide health insurance information when they receive the vaccine, health insurance is not required to receive it.
- Patients will never be asked to pay to put their name on a list to receive the vaccine.
- Internet scammers may post as legitimate businesses or organizations related to the distribution of the vaccine in an effort to steal personal or financial information.
- People should ensure that emails related to the vaccine are coming from legitimate sources before clicking links or opening attachments.
- When providing personal information, people should double check the URL to ensure its legitimacy.
- There are a limited number of federally approved vaccines and treatments.
- People should be aware of anyone offering a “miracle cure,” treatment, or medication that claims to prevent the virus and is not one of the federally approved vaccines.
If anyone becomes aware of a vaccine-related scam or believes they may be the victim of a scam, they should file a complaint with state and local authorities:
- Suspected fraud or business-related scams can be reported to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection by visiting ct.gov/DCP or sending an email to dcp.complaints@ct.gov.
- Suspicious activities related to vaccine distribution practices or concerns for public health can be reported to local law enforcement or local public health officials.
For the most up-to-date information about where, when, and how to receive the vaccine in Connecticut, visit the state’s website at ct.gov/covidvaccine.
General information about the vaccine is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19.
The 2-1-1 information hotline is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions.Twitter: @GovNedLamontFacebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont
The Easton Police Department is located at 700 Morehouse Road, Easton, CT 06612, 203-268-4111, EastonCT.gov.
The Westport/Weston/Easton Health District is located at 180 Bayberry Ln, Westport, CT 06880, 203-227-9571
