Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Telegram And Amazon Are Hosting Fake Vaccine Card Merchants

Telegram And Amazon Are Hosting Fake Vaccine Card Merchants

Fake vaccine card merchants are rampant on Telegram. Meanwhile, fake vaccine card listings continue to fall between the cracks on Amazon, despite a ban on them.

Messaging service Telegram is hosting channels peddling fake blank COVID-19 vaccine cards, immunization records, and fit-to-fly certificates, BuzzFeed News has found. These channels, ranging in size from 1,492 to at least 13,292 subscribers, are targeting people “who need the cards but [are] not willing to take the vaccines.”

“Avoid the Vaccine, Stay safe,” wrote one merchant in a channel they created with 5,773 subscribers. “If you need the Covid vaccine cards, write to us and we’ll get you one.”

“Watch out and stay away from the vaccine its poisonous,” wrote another in a channel they created with 13,273 subscribers. “Kindly pass out the message to those who are still blind out there, so many secrets are hidden from us. The minority ruling are trying to destroy mankind.”

An FBI public service announcement from March noted that it's illegal to buy or sell fake vaccination cards, per a US code that prohibits the creation, use, or distribution of fake government documents.

“By misrepresenting yourself as vaccinated when entering schools, mass transit, workplaces, gyms, or places of worship, you put yourself and others around you at risk of contracting COVID-19,” the FBI announcement says.

Telegram did not respond to requests for comment.









It’s not unusual for people to use Telegram to sell illegal goods. But selling fake American vaccination cards presents a unique risk, undermining ongoing efforts to keep a pandemic in check that has so far killed nearly 600,000 people in the US. It also hurts efforts by states and businesses that rely on accurate vaccine documentation as a condition of allowing access to certain locations and services — bars in New York City, for example, or certain international flights.

These bogus vaccine card accounts typically ask interested parties to contact the channel owner privately in order to purchase the cards and arrange shipment. It’s unclear how many purchases have been made, but some of these accounts have been active for months. For instance, “Covid19 Vaccines cards,” which has 8,587 members, has been around since April. Another group features several posts from customers who claim to have purchased fake vaccine cards.

”Thank you so much Dr philip we received the cards and my family is so happy right now,” wrote a user called mr Jones on May 30 to a group with 4,780 subscribers. “We have been duped so many times trying to get this and we had doubts about you too. We are sorry for that. We just wanna say thank you once more.”


At least one of these Telegram channels, which has 8,587 members, has previously been used to disseminate anti-vaccine disinformation — including memes about Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and vaccine injuries. “Get your cards now and keep your DNA unchanged,” wrote creator @drjg_covid.

Telegram isn’t the only platform hosting fake vaccine card merchants. As Motherboard first reported, they have been easy to come by on Etsy. Ads for similar cards and stickers, produced by custom merchandise company Redbubble and marketplace website Bonanza, continue to appear in Google Shopping. And searches for “blank vaccination card” on Amazon, which explicitly forbids selling "real or replica" COVID-19 vaccination record cards, were returning results for them alongside other vaccine-related products earlier today.




After publication, a Google spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that the Redbubble and Bonanza products were removed from Google Shopping search results.

"Early in 2020, we implemented a sensitive event policy for Covid-19, blocking most offers referencing the virus, to protect people from bad actors attempting to capitalize on it," the spokesperson said. "As an additional layer of protection, we also do not show Shopping offers on the vast majority of Search results related to Covid-19. We continue to actively track new trends and patterns of abuse, adapting our enforcement in real-time to stop fraudulent behavior. "

One Amazon listing for blank vaccine cards claimed they could be used for “quick entry” at airlines, and that people can “use and reuse for a health record keeper.” The manufacturer, a company called Snellspy with an address in China, claimed they are “Great for Teachers, Students, Nurses, Office Employees, Doctors, Government Official[s], Police, Volunteer[s] and More.” The listing disappeared shortly before this story was published, but the seller of Snellspy cards was fielding questions from curious buyers as recently as June 2. It’s unclear exactly how long the listing was up.

“We have proactive measures in place to prevent prohibited products from being listed and we continuously monitor our store,” an Amazon spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. “In this case, we have removed the items and taken action on the bad actors involved in bypassing our controls.”

If someone was thinking about buying a fake vaccination card, what might they also consider buying? Donald Trump–themed Christmas ornaments, according to Amazon’s “Buy it with” recommendation.





AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×