Covid Vaccine Online Scam Alert: 10 Fake Apps and Websites to Avoid

Covid Vaccine Online Scam Alert: Delhi Police and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) alert citizens to fake CoWin vaccine registration apps and websites spread via SMS. As there is a shortage of vaccines in India, scammers are taking advantage of the citizen's desperation to get vaccinated. Please note that the entire vaccination campaign is digital, and you can register for it only through the Aarogya Setu app or the CoWin website.

"The SMS message carries a link that installs the malicious app on Android-based devices, which essentially spreads itself via SMS to victims' contacts. The app also gains unnecessary permissions that attackers could leverage to acquire user data such as contact list," CERT-In said in its advisory.

These are apps and websites that you should stay away from:

1.APK files from an Android app for vaccine registration:

If you receive any SMS instructing you to install an APK file on your Android phone to register, know that it is fake and maybe malware.

2.Covid-19.apk

Covid-19.apk is a fake Covid vaccine app that is targeting Android phones. It is malware made to collect personal data from users who install the application.

3. Covid Vaccine App: Vaci__Regis.apk

Vaci__Regis.apk is another malware created to trick people into thinking that they are registering for a vaccine.

4. https://selfregistration.preprod.co-vin.in

Another bogus vaccine registration website to avoid is this one with the URL "https://selfregistration.preprod.co-vin.in".

5. https://selfregistration.sit.co-vin.in

This vaccine website is shared via the link, do not open the website with the URL "https://selfregistration.sit.co-vin.in" for the vaccination registration; it is false.

6. https://app.preprod.co-vin.in/login

Delhi Police are alerting citizens to beware of this fake CoWin website with the URL "https://app.preprod.co-vin.in/login".

7. http://tiny.cc/COVID-VACCINE

This is another fake Fake short URL for the vaccine registration.

8.MyVaccin_v2.apk

This is another fake vaccine booking app for Android phones.

9. Vccin-Apply.apk

This one is another fake application that spreads via SMS.

10. Cov-Regis.apk

This is a phishing application disguised as a vaccine registration website.