Fake Vaccination Cards Sought and Seized

(from the Associated Press and the Washington Post) A growing number of colleges and universities are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes. But the new mandate has opened the door for those opposed to getting the vaccine to cheat the system, according to interviews with students, education and law enforcement officials. Across the internet, a cottage industry of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards has sprung up to accommodate people who say they won’t get vaccinated for either personal or religious reasons. Prices range from $20-$200. 

Meanwhile, bundles of counterfeit coronavirus vaccination cards printed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention logo have been shipped from Shenzhen, China, to recipients all around the United States, as some unvaccinated people try to evade restrictions that require proof of the shot. On Friday, the FBI seized 3,000 such cards in Memphis, Tennessee, a shipping hub. Making or buying a counterfeit card violates federal laws against the unauthorized use of an official government agency’s seal, which can result in a fine and up to five years in prison, according to the FBI.

More from the Associated Press and the Washington Post