Better Business Bureau issues warning on vaccine hunters

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Hospitals are working to get people vaccinated quickly, but many still struggle to find a vaccine appointment. As a result, they’ve turned to vaccine hunters for help.

While many of the vaccine hunter groups are trustworthy and created by community members, the Better Business Bureau is issuing a warning about the possibility scammers are disguising themselves as helpers.

The BBB shared tips to avoid becoming a victim, saying if someone is selling a vaccine dose, it’s a scam. Another suggestion they have is to never pay to have your name on a waiting list for the vaccine.

The BBB Scam Tracker has received reports of scammers charging for fake vaccine appointments.

Not only is the BBB issuing a warning about vaccine hunter scams, they also want the public to be on the lookout for vaccine surveys.

Renee Wikstrom, director of communications for BBB of Coastal Carolina, said the surveys claim to be coming from one of the vaccine companies. They frequently ask if you’ve received the vaccine. It will also notify you that you’re receiving a prize. All you have to do is click on a link for the gift.

“They will ask you to pay for shipping and handling. And so you have to put your credit card info in, and at that point they have your credit card information, they have your personal information because you did it on the survey,” Wikstrom said.

She said they expect both vaccine hunter and survey scams to increase in the next few weeks in our area.

Find and report scams on the BBB Scam Tracker here.

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