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The U.S. Treasury s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is alerting financial institutions about the potential for fraud, ransomware attacks or similar types of criminal activity related to COVID-19 vaccine research and distribution organizations.
FinCEN reports the fraudulent acts include targeting vaccine researchers with ransomware, promising consumers early access to a COVID-19 vaccine for an extra fee and peddling fake cures.
In the alert, the agency also provides instructions for filing Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) regarding any unusual activity related to COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution. The agency says filing a SAR is crucial to identifying and stopping fraud and cybercrime and is part of the Bank Secrecy Act compliance requirements by financial institutions.