Submitted to OnFocus – Madison, Wis. – Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary-designee Randy Romanski are warning consumers of scams related to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Last year, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) issued a bulletin affirming that the COVID-19 vaccine would be provided at no cost for all. Yet some Wisconsinites have received scam calls indicating they need to make a payment to receive their vaccine.
“Wisconsin consumers should know that their vaccine will be available to them at no cost,” said Commissioner Afable. “Regardless of health insurance coverage, Wisconsin residents can be assured that they will not be charged to get the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Consumers should be cautious if they receive robocalls or unsolicited calls from individuals requesting personal or financial information.
“Scammers continue to find new ways to steal your personal information,” Romanski added. “Make sure to do your research, only utilize resources you know and trust, and don’t respond to unsolicited calls or email solicitations.”
If you get an unprompted contact, hang up and call the company or provider using a reliable phone number. Finally, remember to think twice before trusting your caller ID. Scammers can “spoof” phone numbers so they appear to be from a government agency.
If you have been a victim of a scam, consumers can file a complaint with DATCP online at datcp.wi.gov, by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 422-7128, or by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Wisconsin and sign up to receive email updates from Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine.htm.
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