Security Experts Issue Warning About Counterfeit COVID Vaccination Cards, Negative Test Results For Sale Online
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Experts are issuing a warning about COVID counterfeits, saying they're finding fake negative coronavirus tests and fake vaccination cards for sale online.
Your vaccination card may be the golden ticket to your next vacation, getting into a banquet hall or even going to a ball game, but with shots being the bright spot in this crisis, cyber security experts warn they're spotting more and more fake cards on the dark web.
"How authentic-looking are these documents?" CBS2's Jessica Layton asked Mark Ostrowski, with Check Point Software.
"They can look very legitimate," Ostrowski said. "A lot of the cards, at least that we found in our research, are paper cards with simple logos and information on them."
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Ostrowski says his company has also seen a drastic increase in ads for documents that show a negative result on a fake COVID test, selling for up to $200 a pop.
"You're really providing information to folks who you don't want to provide it to," he said.
On Wednesday, Kaseyan Serrano proudly displayed her real proof of vaccination, becoming number 250,000 to get the shot at the Javits Center.
"It's a big milestone but ... you still have to take necessary precautions," she said.
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COVID cases are on the rise in nearly half the country. There were 55,000 new infections Tuesday.
Meanwhile, 12 state Attorneys General are calling on social media giants to take stronger measures to stop the spread of misinformation by anti-vaxxers, often targeting people of color and Black Americans specifically -- communities that have suffered the worst health impacts of the virus and whose vaccination rates are lagging.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is part of that effort and said the vaccine saves lives, pointing out it's why she's gotten hers, encouraging all New Yorkers to do the same when they're eligible.
CBS2's Jessica Layton contributed to this report.
