As more people rush to get their Covid-19 vaccines, internet scammers are also working overtime to come up with ingenious ways of duping people. The latest scam is in form of vaccine surveys promising rewards to users who supply the information.
A number of users reported to the US that they had received texts and emails asking them to complete a limited-time survey about the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccine.
Read: Eight Online Scams You Should Be Wary Of
The trick lies on the next step, where users are asked to supply their credit card information or bank account number. In exchange for the information, users are offered a “free reward” which has been set at a minimum of Sh9, 000. They are however asked to pay their own shipping fee. The FTC is now warning users against sharing sensitive information to the online scammers.
Last year, online fraudsters took advantage of the pandemic to come up with dubious contact tracing systems which were then used to spread malware and collect sensitive information from the public. They are now taking advantage of the Covid-19 vaccination process to come up with more sophisticated methods of accessing information.
Read also: Fraudsters Invent New Techniques Using Banks, Paybill Numbers To Scam Kenyans Online
The public is advised against opening any suspicious emails and attachments, clicking on unverified links and keying in sensitive information to dubious websites.
Last week, the Pharmacy and Poisons board updated their system to allow Kenyans report any adverse effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The portal is free to use and does not ask users to share their bank account numbers and cards information.
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