Beach residents warned of scam vaccine emails

VIRGINIA BEACH — The Virginia Beach Health Department warned residents on Friday to avoid falling victim to phishing scams offering appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Residents have reported receiving phishing messages that direct recipients to fake COVID-19 vaccination registration websites in an attempt to steal personal or financial information. Some of the illegitimate emails pose as the Health Department or other organizations that have assisted with distributing the vaccine.

Emails from scammers have also included malicious links or requested sensitive information and money for the vaccine. Suspicious emails may urge recipients to act quickly to click on a link or provide information, the city said.

The Health Department will not ask via email for Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers or bank account information. All vaccines are free to the public, but health insurance information may be requested to sign up for an official vaccine.

Before clicking on any links, check to see if the email came from an official source. The city said legitimate emails for vaccination appointments will be sent from VaccinateVB@vdh.virginia.gov.

“These fake websites and applications may claim to provide an opportunity to register for a vaccine, provide testing results, or other resources, however, they are used to steal credentials, bank account information, or to infect your devices with malware,” the Health Department wrote in a statement.

The Health Department would like residents to report if they believe they have been targeted by a vaccine-related scam by calling 877-275-8343. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has provided information on its website about phishing attacks and scams happening nationwide.