Where there’s a population concerned about the health and safety of their loved ones, there’s a population ripe for a rip off. Although charlatans have been pedaling dubious cures and safeguards since “swine flu” first appeared in the media, online scammers are now plying their trade under the banner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC announced Thursday that it had learned of an e-mail ploy to elicit personal information from recipients, commonly called phishing, by demanding people create an H1N1 Vaccination Program profile. The scheme indicates that anyone older than 18 must register with a state program regardless of vaccination status so the CDC can track “vaccinated and not-vaccinated people,” according to the CDC statement. A link provided in the e-mail takes victims to the phishers’ website where they unwittingly enter their information.
More information on the vaccination program racket and other scams involving the CDC can be found at cdc.gov.