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As the nation enters the second year of the widespread pandemic, Covid-19 vaccines and counterfeit vaccine cards are being sold on the dark web.
The current Covid-19 pandemic and widespread eagerness for vaccines provide a perfect opportunity for cybercriminals to trick and take advantage of consumers with fake vaccines.
Buying illegal vaccines on the internet could be more than just foolish; it could cause severe reactions depending on what the consumer purchases.
According to CNN Business, in March 2021, security researchers at Check Point Software, a cybersecurity firm uncovered listings for Covid-19 vaccines ranging up to $1,000 a dose, along with 20 vaccine certificates for $200 each. The vaccine listings were for reputable brands such as Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.
The way Pleter Arntz of Malwarebytes LABS sees it, there are several possible scenarios for one who decides to order a Covid-19 vaccine on the dark web. Individuals will receive nothing, or perhaps a shipment is sent but it may not be a real vaccine. Conversely, the shipment does contain a vaccine; but not one for coronavirus. Others may receive a real Covid-19 vaccine with a good chance it was not FDA approved and was not stored and transported at the correct cold temperature.
In addition to selling illegal vaccines, scammers are buying vaccine ads as a scam meant to collect your financial data. The FBI advises people to avoid unknown Covid-19 related emails, text messages, or phone calls and not to click or download these messages.
Understandably as people wait for their turn to be vaccinated, some may become impatient or desperate and panic. However, scammers jump on the opportunity to prey on these fears.
By Skylar Elliot
Page updated
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