U.S. federal agencies issued a warning on March 30, emphasizing that buying/selling counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards violates the law and is a crime. Specifically, the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) issued the warning in the form of a public service announcement posted on the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Specifically, the agencies stated the following: “If you have not received the vaccine, do not purchase counterfeit vaccination cards, do not make your own vaccination cards, and do not fill out blank vaccination cards with false information. By (falsely) claiming to have been vaccinated when entering schools, media outlets, workplaces, gyms, or places of worship, you are putting yourself and those around you at greater risk of infection with COVID-19.”
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The agencies also warned against using official government agency seals to create fake vaccination records, as this is a crime punishable under Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1017, as well as other applicable laws.
Additionally, government and private organizations are advised to continue using personal protective equipment and maintain social distancing, whenever possible, as individuals using fake vaccination cards may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection.
See also: Excelsior Pass: The first digital vaccination passport in the US
This warning follows previous alerts issued by the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) not to post CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards on social media platforms.
Scammers can use photos of vaccination registration cards shared on social media for their own personal gain. This also drastically increases the likelihood of personal and identity theft, which could be used in scams.
Identity thieves can use stolen personal information to open new accounts in victims' names, fraudulently claim tax refunds, and engage in other forms of identity theft.
Proposal: US: Identity theft scam reports increase in 2020
The PSA also added: “If you have received the vaccine, we recommend that you do not post photos of your vaccination card on social media sites – your personal information could be stolen to commit fraud.”
The FTC said in February that the number of identity theft reports doubled in 2020 compared to 2019, reaching a record 1.4 million reports in a single year. According to statistics provided by the FTC, more than 372,000 Americans have reported financial losses of more than $365 million after falling victim to COVID-19-related scams since the beginning of 2020.
Information source: bleepingcomputer.com
