COVID-19 vaccination scams have been occurring throughout Southern California. Scammers have been using robocalls, social media posts and emails to lure victims. A Jan. 13 public notice by the City of Long Beach reminded residents to protect their personal information, and not to be trusting of offers to expedite the vaccine process.
The Long Beach Health Department and Long Beach Police Department would like to remind residents of the following:
-City employees do not proactively contact residents requesting personal identifying or insurance information. Do not give your personal information to unknown sources.
-If someone tries to sell you a chance to jump the line or get early access to a vaccination before it’s your turn, it’s a scam.
-If someone says they can get you a special low cost deal or get you a vaccine under the table, it’s a scam.
-If someone on the street, online, on social media or knocking on your door tries to sell you a shot of vaccine, decline their offer. No one selling vaccines online is legitimate.
-If you’ve contacted the Health Department to request a vaccination and appointments are full, they may place you on a waitlist but they will not ask you to pay a fee.
Vaccine distribution in Long Beach is being controlled by the Health Department. Vaccines will be given out according to the workforce of each health jurisdiction in two phases, with sub-phases and tiered sub-prioritization. The general public’s access to the vaccine is still months away, but will be provided to residents for free regardless of their immigration status.
For more information about COVID-19 scams, visit the Long Beach Health Department’s COVID-19 page or the Los Angeles County Public Health website.
Suspicious or fake claims can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online.
If residents believe someone is falsely claiming to be a city employee, they can report them by calling 911 or 562.435.6711.
