Over 3,000 vaccination cards seized by federal agents
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized quite several fake COVID-19 vaccination cards coming from China last week. The shipment arrived in Tennessee, Memphis, where the agency confirms thousands of fake vaccine cards were confiscated this year.
The customs and patrol officers found these counterfeit cards as a suspicious shipment bound to New Orleans’ business district. It was then stopped at Memphis. The shipment appeared to be a set of greeting cards with a description of “Paper Card, Paper” on its shipment manifest. The agency said in a statement that they “already knew what it was.”
The agency also reported that this was the 15th shipment that night. As the officers looked inside, they found 51 fake Covid vaccination cards. The card seems legitimate at first glance, with blanks for name, vaccine brand, birthdate, date of vaccination, vaccination status, official government agency seal, and other information.
Anyone can be easily fooled with the Center for Disease Control and prevention logo in the right corner. The only details that gave it away were the typos, misspelling of the Spanish verbiage at the back, and some unfinished words.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says it has confiscated 121 packages filled with more than 3,000 fake CDC vaccination cards. Agents say the thousands of counterfeit vaccination cards came from China and were passing through a Memphis shipping center. pic.twitter.com/bYxijiGS6e
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 16, 2021
The agency’s statement said that the vaccination cards were fake since they didn’t come from the CDC. Any medical authority didn’t even verify them.
The agency also added, “this wasn’t the first time we saw this shipper,” Shipments from the said shipper usually come with the shipment description “Paper Greeting Cards” or “Use For Greeting Card.”
Fake counterfeit cards
Each vaccination card set comes in packs of 20,51 and 100. The agency reported that the vaccination cards weren’t even concealed or packed secretly. While Memphis isn’t the only locality where they seized fake vaccination cards, the officers have captured 121 shipments. The record is now totaling 3,017 fake counterfeit cards.
Last March, the FBI announced that buying, selling, and using counterfeit vaccination cards is illegal. The FBI also says it’s a crime. It can be classified as unauthorized use of a government agency seal. Violators, if proven guilty, can face up to five years in prison plus a fine.
The federal agents also said that contrabands like this aren’t just in Memphis, but other local officials all over the United States seize fake vaccination cards.
BREAKING: A couple from Florida has been arrested in Hawaii for using fake vaccination cards.
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) August 19, 2021
Memphis area port director Michael Neipert said that vaccinations are free and available almost everywhere. He also added, “If you don’t wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But don’t order a counterfeit, waste my officer’s time, break the law, and misrepresent yourself.”
Neipert also said that ordering fake vaccination cards wastes the officers’ time. They are trying to focus on seizing drugs like methamphetamines and fentanyl.
COVID-19 vaccination card frauds
Just last month, a doctor with a California license got arrested for planning to alter COVID-19 vaccination cards. The healthcare professional falsifies the customers’ cards with the Moderna vaccine as their vaccination even if it’s not the case.
While in Napa, California is a different case as Juli A. Mazi planned to sell immunization pellets. She’s a naturopathic physician and also sells fake vaccination cards and COVID-19 treatments.
PSA:
STOP GETTING FAKE PCR TEST RESULTS / VACCINATION CARDS TO MAKE YOUR TRAVELS EASIER. THESE TESTS ARE NECESSARY FOR A REASON
— Inka Magnaye (@inkamagnaye) August 20, 2021
The Department of Justice stated that the first criminal fraud falls under fraudulent CDC vaccination cards and homeoprophylaxis immunizations. The court charged her with wire fraud and one count of false statements on health care.
Universities and schools all over the United States require proof of vaccination to students. Some officials worry that students might give fake cards. However, some schools declared that submitting fake vaccination record cards may result in serious disciplinary actions or even expulsion.
Falsifying vaccination cards are possible illegally in many ways, even through social media. One is through an Instagram account that sells COVID-19 vaccination cards for $25 each. There’s another card maker that sells them through the messaging app Telegram for $200 each. Increasing demand and inquiry about these counterfeit cards are visible online.
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One Twitter user posted, “My daughter bought 2 fake IDs online for $50 while in college. Shipped from China.”
Although a large part of the population is hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine, they are safe and effective. The control and prevention CDC said that millions of people not only in the U.S. have their COVID-19 vaccines with the most intense safety monitoring in the country’s history. CDC still recommends Americans aged 12 and up get a vaccination.
On Sunday, the Associated Press reported that Sen. Chuck Schumer demanded the federal officials crack down on fake vaccination cards.
He’s also demanding that the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection collaborated with the Department of Health and Human Services to start a campaign against fake vaccination cards and let citizens know the possibility of imprisonment.
