TECHNOLOGY Tom Meehan, CFI anyaivanova / Shutterstock.com
Meehan is retail technology editor for LPM as well as chief strategy officer and chief information security officer for CONTROLTEK. Previously, Meehan was director of technology and investigations with Bloomingdale’s, where he was responsible for physical security, internal investigations, and systems and data analytics. He currently serves as the chair of the Loss Prevention Research Council’s (LPRC) innovations working group. Meehan recently published his first book titled Evolution of Retail Asset Protection: Protecting Your Profit in a Digital Age. He can be reached at TomM@LPportal.com.
Fake Vaccination Cards Spread as Delta Variant Ramps Up A
The FBI has a stern warning for the public—buying, selling, or using a counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination card is a crime. A punishable one.
s the Delta variant of the coronavirus continues to sweep the nation, thousands of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccine cards have started to flood the country. US Customs and Border Protection agents report they have now seized more than 121 shipments containing more than 3,000 counterfeit COVID-19 vaccine cards. The agency said agents have intercepted the shipments at the port of Memphis, Tennessee, all of them from China and bound for different cities across the nation. Disguised as paper greeting cards in packs of 20, 51, or 100, the counterfeit cards look like real vaccination certificates, including spaces where the recipient can write their name, birth date, and vaccine information. While they look legitimate, complete with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) logo, the cards are often littered with typos, unfinished words, and even misspelled Spanish words, in some cases. In addition to the recent surge in these fraudulent online purchases, officials are also combating citizens who are capitalizing on public fear, misinformation, religious beliefs, and strong personal resistance to getting the vaccine. Recently, a licensed pharmacist in Chicago was arrested for allegedly selling
September–October 2021
authentic Covid-19 vaccination cards on eBay, according to the Justice Department.
Falsifying COIVD Vaccination Certifications Is a Crime The FBI has a stern warning for the public—buying, selling, or using a counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination card is a crime. A punishable one. In a statement, the FBI categorized the unauthorized use of an official government agency’s seal, such as HHS or CDC, as a crime. Citing this as an act that could be “punishable under Title 18 United States Code, Section 1017, and other applicable laws,” and added “do not buy fake vaccine cards, do not make your own vaccine cards, and do not fill-in blank vaccination record cards with false information.” In addition, the FBI has urged the public to not post photos of their vaccine cards to social media websites, citing “personal information could be stolen to commit fraud.”
A Growing Concern among College Officials There is growing concern among many colleges and universities in the US who require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to begin in-person instruction, with some universities
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placing a hold on acceptance into the institution until the student’s documents have been verified. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, at least 664 colleges and universities now require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. However, the mandatory requirement has faculty and students concerned about how easy it is for students and their parents to get fake vaccine cards to “cheat the system,” according to a widely shared report by the Associated Press. With just a few clicks, one can search sites like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTiok for users selling “COVID-19 Vaccine Card Certificates,” to purchase illegally online. One might ask, why would students or parents pay for fake vaccination cards and face expulsion or criminal charges, when they could easily get a free COVID-19 vaccine? Again, misinformation, religious beliefs, and personal choice are often the answer and unfortunately, “the science of good public health has gotten lost in some of the decisions that have been made in some places,” according to Dr. Sarah Van Orman, the chief health officer at the University of Southern California and COVID-19 task force member for the American College Health Association.
