Avoid Coronavirus Scams
- COVID-19 vaccines are free. If anyone charges you for help signing up or the shot itself, it’s a scam.
- You can’t buy the COVID-19 vaccine anywhere. It’s only available at federal- and state-approved locations.
- Always talk with your doctor or healthcare professional before you try any product claiming to treat, prevent, or cure COVID-19.
- Don’t post your vaccination card to your social media account. Someone could use the information for identity theft.
- Right now, there are no official plans to create a national vaccine verification app or certificate or passport.
- If someone asks you for personal information or money to get a national vaccine certificate or passport, that’s a scam.
- Contact your state government about its vaccine verification plans and requirements.
- Check with airlines, cruise lines, and event venues about their vaccine verification or negative testing requirements.
- When you’re looking for pandemic-related help, start with sites like coronavirus.gov and usa.gov/coronavirus.
Blog Posts
Vaccines and Vaccinations
- Scammers cash in on confusion over vaccine verification methods
- COVID vaccines are FREE!
- Ignore bogus COVID vaccine survey
- Scammers cash in on COVID-19 vaccination confusion
Treatment Claims
- Spilling the tea on the latest COVID-19 cure claim
- FTC continues to crack down on companies peddling fake COVID treatments and cures
- FTC and DOJ bring first case under new COVID-19 consumer protection law
Financial Impact
- Lawsuit charges that grant-writing services firm bilked minority-owned businesses
- Need rental assistance? Check out these tenant assistance services
- Managing your bills during the pandemic
- The pandemic’s effect on your money
- Scammers target loved ones of COVID-19 victims
Scam Alerts
- Free COVID test scam targets people on Medicare
- FTC and American consumers win two cases against pandemic scammers
- Company said their COVID PPE was Made in the USA. They lied and are paying the price.
- FTC says credit repair operation was a scam
- Scammers target loved ones of COVID-19 victims
- Scammers cash in on confusion over vaccine verification methods
- COVID vaccines are FREE!
- Scammers reportedly using fake unemployment benefits websites as phishing lures
Privacy & Online Security
- Phishing scheme targets unemployment insurance benefits and PII
- Social media is no place for COVID-19 vaccination cards
- Settlement requires Zoom to better secure your personal information
Visit our Small Business Section.
FTC Resources in Other Languages
Government Resources
Stay Connected
- Bookmark this site (ftc.gov/coronavirus) to check back for updates.
- Subscribe to alerts for consumers and businesses to keep up with the latest scams.
- Like our FTC Facebook page.
- Follow @FTC for the latest tweets from the FTC.
- Link to ftc.gov/coronavirus for the FTC’s most up-to-date information about Coronavirus scams using these social media shareables.