As vaccination efforts continue to ramp up, scammers have found a new way to keep the COVID-fueled fraud wave going: counterfeit vaccine cards. Online advertisements for fake vaccination cards are popping up all over sites like eBay and Etsy, ranging in price from $20 to $60. Demand for fake vaccination cards may rise as more organizations require proof of vaccination to do things like travel on an airplane or attend events.
In addition to fake vaccination cards, scammers are doubling their efforts to peddle fake vaccine appointments in order to defraud people out of money and steal their identity.
Here are some tips on avoiding COVID-19 scams:
Don’t pay for the COVID-19 vaccine or to book an appointment. Neither is necessary, regardless of your health insurance status.
Do not share personal health information with people you don’t know. Legitimate vaccination locations will not ask for things like your bank account, credit card information or Social Security number.
Don’t share fully legible images of your vaccine card on social media. Showing sensitive information opens the door for fraudsters to steal your identity.
Source: Fraud.org, a project of the National Consumers League.