Fake COVID vaccination cards scams surface online
New information out on a concerning online scam about coronavirus vaccination cards. This comes as some venues and destinations start requiring proof of vaccination status making these official CDC cards a hot commodity on the black market.
News Channel 3's Dani Romero explains more about the scam.
For Natalie Aries, she got the COVID shot, as her ticket to a safe return to normalcy.
“I am getting the vaccine to protect not only myself but to protect others manly people in my family," said Natalie Aries, got vaccinated. "We all work with the public its important that i do the most that i can to keep safe.”
Some are taking the chance opting to pay for that vaccination card without getting vaccinated.
“Thats awful," said Aries. "I don’t know why anybody would want to do that.”
Believe it or not, there’s a market for fake vaccine cards.
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“Anything you can think of is for sale on the dark web from credit card numbers, social security stuff for identity theft," said Matt Disher, President of Southwest Networks, Inc. "Medical information is actually probably some of the most valuable stuff for sale.”
Listings for these fraudulent cards have appeared on major social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Ebay.
Doctor Bradley Jacoby from Kaiser Permanente weighed in.
“That's going to definitely make it more difficult for us to get the pandemic under control," said Dr. Jacoby. "We're making great progress with the vaccinations, unless we get above a certain amount of penetration of getting herd immunity.”
Now, the FBI issuing a special alert warning the public about making or buying fake vaccination cards. They have called it a crime.
“There's are going to be a record of it," said Disher. "If you buy something on Ebay as a fake card, they're going to be able to find out who you are through your Ebay account and come after you.”
This COVID shot is for the greater good of the community.
“We just want to get everybody vaccinated that's the key thing," said Dr. Jacoby. "Don't take the easy way out and get that fake card that you got your vaccine.”
We reached out to Riverside County District Attorney’s Office about the consequences in forging a vaccine card. They told us there’s no law specifically addressing fake COVID cards. They are exploring any and all legal avenues to prosecute this type of crime.
If you see a fake vaccine card being sold online, you can report it at https://www.ic3.gov/.
