(KGTV) — As more and more Americans receive their COVID-19 vaccine and card showing they've been vaccinated, experts are warning that scammers may target those posting photos of their cards online.
By now, many have seen social media postings of vaccine cards after receiving their COVID-19 vaccination. Those cards contain personal information like someone's name, birth date, and vaccination location. Posting photos of those cards could help scammers create and sell fake cards or even hack accounts, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC).
"Many people are posting pictures online of their vaccination cards once they’ve gotten the COVID shot. [ITRC] does not recommend people post these photos unless they blur out their personal information to reduce identity risks," ITRC writes online.
The group says that while there have been no reports of fake vaccination cards sold in the U.S., in Great Britain, scammers have been caught selling fake cards on eBay and TikTok.
ITRC says scammers are targeting scheduling apps and "vaccine passports" as well. While there are currently no programs in the U.S. that use or require a vaccine passport, anyone who receives a message about one is likely being targeted for their personal info or for money to pay for a fraudulent app or service.
Scheduling apps do not require a patient to pay, so messages that ask for money or personal health information should raise a red flag, ITRC says.
Anyone concerned about COVID-19 vaccine fraud or who believes they have fallen victim to a scam can call the ITRC at 888-400-5530 or visit the group's website here.
