People Are Buying Fake Vaccine Cards For $25 While Authorities Hit Those Caught Using Them With Major Fines
Fortunately, real vaccine cards are free!
vovidzha / Shutterstock.com Some college students are trying to access fake vaccine cards at a low-cost to bypass Covid-19 restrictions but the cost of getting caught will be a high price for most.
Two Canadian citizens flying into Canada from the U.S. were caught and fined $19720 Canadian Dollars — which equals to about $16,000 USD — for forging vaccination cards and fake COVID-19 test results.
All while officials on both sides of the border clamp down on the uptick in forged Covid-19 documents.
Are fake vaccination cards illegal?
The FBI confirmed earlier this year that making and using fake vaccine cards is illegal in the U.S. as they involve a fraudulent use of the seals of the Department of Health and the CDC.
Making or using a forged vaccination card could result in a fine, a prison sentence of up to five years, or both.
A California man was arrested for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.
Legal action has already been taken against one man accused of forging the cards.
Todd Anderson, a California bar owner, was arrested in May for allegedly making and selling falsified vaccine cards to customers for $20.
Anderson was charged with identity theft, forging government documents and falsifying medical records.
Fake vaccine cards are on the rise.
Interest in acquiring the illegal and dangerous fake cards appears to be increasing, fuelled partially by college students looking to bypass their school's rules.
As many students and faculty express concern over the impacts of these falsified cards, sellers appear to be charging as little as $25 online for the documents.
Users on the encrypted open-source messaging app, Telegram, claim to be selling “COVID-19 Vaccine Card Certificates,” for $200 dollars each.
The seller’s message — which was viewed by 11,000 of the apps’ users — says “This is our own way of saving as many people as we possibly can from the poisonous vaccine.”
Meanwhile on Reddit, one user expressed their plans to use the illegal document when they return to school writing, “I need one, too, for college. I refuse to be a guinea pig.”
Vaccination cards are becoming increasingly neccessary.
Aside from the obvious neccesity on a health level, proof of vaccination cards are becoming increasingly difficult to live without.
At least 664 colleges and universities now require proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
The process for many of these schools is as simple as uploading a photo of your vaccination card to the respective school’s student portal.
At Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, for example, a hold will be placed on a student’s ability to register for classes until they can verify their vaccination status unless otherwise exempt for religious reasons or some sort of medical issue.
Some states have introduced vaccine mandates for federal employees. New York City will require proof of vaccines to enter indoor restaurants, gyms and performance venues starting August 16.
Internationally, US travelers may be required to show proof of vaccines in order to enter countries in the European Union if a new EU proposal goes ahead.
Luckily for those seeking to access schools, businesses and countries that require proof of vaccination, vaccines are free and easily accesible across the US!
Isaac Serna-Diez is a writer who focuses on entertainment and news, and social justice.