New Analysis from BrandShield Shows Monthly Vaccine-Related Website Registrations Are Up 2100%; Announces Simple Ways to Spot Scams as Vaccine Frauds Skyrocket

BrandShield (LSE: BRSD), an online threat hunting company specialized in monitoring, detecting, and removing online threats, today announced new findings on the rise of online COVID-19 vaccine fraud. The results show more than 5,000 suspicious COVID-19 vaccine websites registered in the first two months of 2021 alone and over 20,000 suspicious social posts on popular platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

BrandShield ran this analysis as part of its collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI), a trade association of pharmaceutical manufacturers focused on patient safety. Notable instances of fraud on these websites include organizations claiming to offer vials of brand name vaccines approved by the FDA, along with more outlandish claims such as a hard seltzer COVID-19 vaccine. 

“Fraud preys on the vulnerable, and there’s never been a more universal global threat than COVID-19,” said Yoav Keren, co-founder, and CEO of BrandShield. “This environment is especially dangerous for our aging population. They were already the most at risk of suffering from the pandemic and online fraud; now, cybercriminals have combined the two, creating a potentially deadly situation. It’s a double-whammy and one that I hope to help avoid.”

Fraud is running rampant on Instagram, Twitter, and Telegram 

Since December 2020, BrandShield has analyzed over 20,000 potentially fraudulent social media posts, users, and handles. The company’s data shows that Instagram accounts for the vast majority of threats detected. Twitter and Telegram are tied for the second most popular platforms of choice for fraudsters, followed by Facebook. 

Scammers consistently use social media platforms as a means to market themselves. These criminals impersonate legitimate pharmaceutical companies or lie about being able to sell vaccines. Social media platforms are also being used to sell fraudulent vaccines or drive people to phishing sites that can steal their money or credentials, sell them a potentially deadly product,  or move the scam offline through private messaging. 

How can everyday people spot #VaxFraud?

To help consumers combat the mounting threat of vaccine cyber fraud, BrandShield developed seven tips for avoiding scams.

1. If you see an ad on social media such as Facebook or Instagram selling a vaccine – it’s a scam!
2. If you see a listing on eCommerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, or any others selling a vaccine – it’s a scam!
3. If you enter an online Pharmacy website and see a vaccine for sale – it’s a scam!
4. If you see a website presenting itself as one of the pharma companies and selling a vaccine – it’s a scam!
5. If you see a social media page or user presenting itself as one of the pharma companies or representing the pharma companies and selling a vaccine – it’s a scam!
6. If someone offers to sell you a vaccine in exchange for bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies – it’s a scam!  
7. If someone offers to sell you a vaccine and communicates the sale through instant messaging such as WhatsUp, Viber, etc. – it’s a scam!  

In the US and EU, the vaccines are available through state-approved vaccination locations. Any offer online, over the phone, or in-person to supply vaccines or to charge you any associated cost is a scam. If you spot an online scam, please immediately report the crime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, which can be found here.

About BrandShield

BrandShield is a leading cybersecurity company founded in Israel by cybersecurity experts that protects the world’s largest brands and consumers from phishing attacks, online fraud, and other online threats posed by dangerous cybercriminals. Through its AI/ML platform, BrandShield identifies, tracks, and eliminates online threats for global brands and organizations, including VISA, Bristol Myers Squibb, Levi’s, New Balance, Swisscom, and the Pharmaceutical Security Institute. BrandShield is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM under ticker symbol BRSD. To learn more about BrandShield, please visit the company website at BrandShield.com.

Contact Information

Justin Higgins

Account Executive

VSC for BrandShield

justinh@vsc.co