RI Police, Health Officials Warn About Coronavirus Vaccine Scams

Rhode Island police departments and public health officials are urging residents to be aware of potential scams related to the coronavirus vaccine. No one will be asked to pay for the vaccine or provide personal information.

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, said that no vaccine scams have been reported in the state so far, but they are possible in the coming weeks and months. The department will never reach out to the public directly and ask for payment information or other personal details.

The Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the HHS Office of the inspector General's office released a list of red flags people should watch for when it comes to the coronavirus vaccine, listed below.

• No one should ask you to pay out-of-pocket for the vaccine.
• There are no vaccine "waiting lists" or "early access lists" that people can add their name to.
• Don't trust advertisements for the vaccine from unverified sources, such as advertisements on social media, television, email or by phone.
• Marketers may try to ship "vaccine doses" directly to people for a fee.
• In general, never give out payment information or personal details to unverified sources.