Pfizer has uncovered fake jabs of its COVID-19 vaccine in Mexico and Poland – along with some vials with anti-wrinkle treatment, it surfaced on Wednesday.
The drug giant said it has tested “vaccines” that have been seized in different investigations in countries and determined that they were fake, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Vials from Mexico were found in a beach-style beer cooler and labeled fraudulent with an incorrect expiration date, Nevo León State Secretary of Health Dr. Manuel de la O said.
About 80 people at a clinic had received a fake shot for a dose of $ 1,000, he said.
Pfizer said that fake vaccination in Poland was likely an anti-wrinkle treatment.
It is not believed that anyone was injected into a man’s apartment before seizing the vials, the outlet reported.
Lef Kubiak, Pfizer’s head of security, acknowledged that the global vaccination program is ripe for such scams.
“Everyone on the planet needs it. Many people are desperate for this. “We have a very limited supply, a supply that will ramp up as we and other companies enter the vaccine space. In the interim, there is a perfect opportunity for criminals. “
Tony Pelley, an adviser with the BSI group specializing in drug safety, said that applying fake vaccines is easier for real criminals than getting their hands on a shot, as many drug manufacturers and countries have increased the safety of vaccines.
Palli told the newspaper, “With the fake, you can just pretend, and say, ‘Here are the COVID vaccines, we’ve got something, don’t ask how,”
According to IT security firm Check Point Research, the so-called Dark Web has also attracted cybercriminals who see pedal fake vaccines.
“It is clear to us that the target audience for dark net vaccine vendors is actually dealers, not necessarily for the public,” Check Point spokesman Ikram Ahmed told Fox News.
Ahmed said the firm has seen a spike in advertisements for vaccine manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.
“Vendors want foot soldiers on the ground for vaccination, vaccination certificates and negative COVID tests, to deliver the full spectrum of coronovirus services, across many geographies,” he said.
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