Be careful if you receive this message about the fourth dose of covid-19: it is a hoax

Covid-19 vaccine scams are back. From the beginning of the health emergency, cybercriminals saw the perfect target to take advantage of social desperation and get hold of good loot. From a false message that promised an early appointment in the middle of the first rounds of administration of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca to the fraudulent notification of the arrival of a new single dose from time to time, the scams are updated to the circumstances of the moment.

The return to routine and the latest spikes in infections have brought with them the return of this scam. The National Cybersecurity Institute (Incibe) has already proclaimed itself on previous occasions about this circumstance, which had caused numerous users to report receiving a call impersonating Social Security. The tactic has been repeated since then, and is still in force.

The hoax about the fourth dose of covid-19

A message circulating on social networks and messaging applications warns of the alleged latest impersonation of the Ministry of Health. The text reports the massive reception of a phone call in which a supposed worker from this institution warns that the user can request a fourth dose. The same thing happened at the end of 2021, when, using an identical methodology, they used the third application of the vaccine as bait.

The message that is being forwarded by WhatsApp explains that the alleged employee has all the personal data of the person he is contacting. In this way, it lists aspects such as the address or email to generate trust in the recipient and, once the interlocutor confirms that the information is correct, the scammer requests that the code that has just been received by SMS be recited.

This is a hoax that has once again circulated on WhatsApp to alarm citizens in relation to the fourth booster dose of covid-19. Neither the Ministry of Health is calling for new vaccinations nor has this type of ‘hacking’ been detected.

The National Police has confirmed through its social networks that it is a false message that has been in circulation for a year and that. In addition, they ask not to spread this type of “unverified alarmist messages.” It is advisable to be aware of the official channels of the Murcian Health Service to find out all the news regarding Covid-19.