SKOWHEGAN — Redington-Fairview General Hospital has issued a warning of a scam that asks Mainers for personal information over the phone to set up an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

According to a press release sent out Friday, hospital officials said a community member recently received a phone call from a person using a Redington-Fairview phone number who wanted to discuss a vaccination appointment.

“The caller asked for a Social Security number and credit card information from this community member,” the press release read. “RFGH will not ask for this information over the phone for any vaccination clinic. Please do not give out your personal information.”

Hospital staff recommends that anyone who receives this call hang up immediately.

“If you have received a call like this and have shared your information, please notify the police,” officials said.

Federal and state authorities have issued similar warnings.

The Maine Center for Disease Control has received reports of a similar scam caller, typically using an 844 area code, claiming to be from the agency and asking people for Social Security numbers to confirm contact tracing or vaccine appointments.

Like Redington-Fairview, Maine CDC said the department wouldn’t ask for personal information over the phone.

Authorities advise those who believe they may be the victim of a COVID-19 scam or attempted fraud to call local police and the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866-720-5721.

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