I sent an email to an address listed on the site, and an unnamed responder told me the card arrives in prank form, rather than blank: "It's not a vaccine card." Since I didn't order a card, I don't know if a prank card arrives, or a blank CDC knockoff for fraudulent purposes. In the column labeled "Healthcare Professional or Clinic Site," it says "Applebee's." The price is $7.99 and the site takes credit cards. One such card appears to be a prank, with a photo of a card with "Whiskey - Jack Daniels" written in the box where the type of vaccine and lot number would ordinarily go. Some fake vaccine cards have their own websites. Researchers have found terrorist propaganda, cybercrime and other illicit activity on the app, which has taken off lately and now has more than 500 million global users. It's similar to Whatsapp, owned by Facebook, except with more of an outlaw reputation. Telegram is an encrypted messaging app founded by two Russian brothers who moved their operation to Germany. ![]() Telegram did not respond to a request for comment. Jniya Tallie, a graduate assistant with the Jackson State women's basketball team, fiddles with her vaccination card after receiving her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at an open COVID-19 vaccination site sponsored by the university at Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., July 27, 2021. “We got bulk for everyone,” the seller told me. I could get up to 50 cards for $100 apiece, and for more than 50 the unit price would fall to $80. I wasn't going to make a purchase and potentially break the law. The response: “Yeah sir if you willing to make a purchase.” Buy in bulk This time, I identified myself as a Yahoo Finance reporter and asked if I could interview the seller, on some kind of anonymous basis, about the business of selling fake cards. I created an account and contacted one seller whose account name I found on Facebook. While I’ve had a Facebook account for years, I didn’t have a Telegram account until I wanted to look for fake vaccine cards on the app. Several Facebook accounts that appear to be offering fake cards refer visitors to Telegram accounts. The messaging app Telegram seems to be one place where vaccine card merchants can operate with relative impunity. Yahoo Finance is not identifying any services we found offering fake vaccine cards.īut they’re not hard to find. Its guidelines prohibit the sale of any medical information, whether fake or genuine. Like other mainstream websites, Facebook ( FB) says it takes down scammer accounts as it finds them and aggressively polices efforts to undermine public health related to Covid. (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) “This development has led to dramatic increases in activity in English-language illicit communities from threat actors looking to sell, buy, or produce proof of vaccination certificates,” cybersecurity firm Flashpoint reported in a recent analysis.Ī healthcare worker fills out a Covid-19 vaccination card at a community healthcare event in a predominately Latino neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, August 11, 2021. As municipalities like New York City and a growing list of employers require proof of vaccination, black-market alternatives are inevitably springing up for those unwilling to get a proper vaccination. It’s very clear, however, that there’s a booming cottage industry in bogus documentation relating to Covid-19. The FBI says it’s illegal to buy a fake vaccine card, so I didn’t place an order and I can’t confirm whether the site is a legitimate purveyor of fake cards. Once you provide the necessary personal details and pay with bitcoin, it takes 24 hours to process the order, which is then shipped overnight. Details promptly appeared in the Facebook messaging window: One vaccine card costs $100. ![]() From my personal Facebook account, I clicked on a button offering more information. ![]() “Get your vaccine card at very affordable price,” a nearby caption says. A Facebook page promoting health and beauty products features an intriguing photo: A stack of blank Covid-19 vaccination cards, with the logo for the Centers for Disease Control at the top.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |