The US Treasury has warned employees of banks and other financial institutions about the risk of fraud and cyberattacks associated with the distribution of vaccines against COVID-19. This is stated in a statement by the Financial Crime Investigation Network (FinCEN), which is part of the US Treasury.
The document notes that fraudulent activities may include the sale of unapproved vaccines, counterfeit versions of drugs, and the illegal reselling of vaccines that have received regulatory approval.
“Fraudsters have already offered to provide their potential victims with vaccines for money earlier than provided for by the appropriate distribution plan,” the agency said.
The document emphasizes that banks and other institutions need to notify authorities about suspicious transactions that relate to coronavirus vaccines. In the event of attempted fraud, financial institutions are required to provide detailed information about them.
A few days ago, New York State Police began checking information about a possible fraudulent scheme for obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the authorities, the Parcare network of clinics, providing medical care in Origine County and Brooklyn (the most populated borough of New York), could have fraudulently obtained a vaccine against coronavirus infection and redirected it to other medical institutions in the state. Parcare employees were also suspected of transferring the drug to private individuals in violation of the state's vaccination plan. According to the Daily News, the Parcare network includes six clinics in Origin and Brooklyn, which serve primarily the Jewish diaspora.
In early December, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) announced that criminal groups around the world are poised to benefit from massive COVID-19 vaccinations, including falsifying drugs. The corresponding notification was sent to law enforcement agencies of all 194 countries – members of the organization.
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The main threat, as stated in Interpol, is the creation of fake drugs and their sale through fake sites. The police noted that a series of crimes related to the use of fake vaccines had already been recorded earlier. Interpol also did not rule out a surge in fraud with fake coronavirus tests, which could be facilitated by the resumption of international flights.
