Be alert to online fraud regarding vaccination cards

If you use social media, you’ve probably noticed friends, in an effort to celebrate or advocate, share photos of their vaccination cards. We understand the sentiment and generally agree it’s wise to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as recommended by health professionals. But you might want to think twice before sharing an image of your vaccination card.

Whitney Quick, regional director of the Better Business Bureau of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, recently told the Southeast Missourian doing so is an invitation for scammers because of the information listed on the card.

“Your birthday may be the very last thing needed in order for scammers to create false vaccination cards,” Quick said, noting fake vaccination cards are starting to appear.

Identity theft continues to be an issue, and sharing this information publicly opens individuals up to potential fraud.

Quick said instead of posting an image of the card, consider sharing a photo of your vaccine sticker some providers hand out, use a “vaccination frame” on your profile picture, and check your privacy settings on Facebook.

In short, be smart about what you share online.