Don’t Post Your Vaccine Card on Social Media
As more people get the vaccine, we are also seeing more of them post pictures of their vaccine cards on social media. After all this waiting, it makes sense to celebrate and share the news, but the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is now warning people not to post photos of their vaccination cards online, as this will lead to an increase in fake cards and identity theft. …
The cards contain personal information, including your full name, birthday, where you got the shot, who gave you it, and the date of vaccination, all of which can be used by scammers to create fake vaccination cards. (The warning came after scammers in the UK were caught selling fake vaccination cards on eBay and TikTok.)
Fraudsters can also use this information to open credit cards in your name. Since they already have your name and date of birth, all they need is your social security number, which can be popping up all the time on the dark web, and your address, which is usually pretty easy to find on the internet. Also, remember that information such as your date of birth or patronymic is often the answer to security questions about bank accounts and other important entries.
If you’ve already posted your postcard on social media, the BBB recommends you take a photo. They also offer the following tips for safely sharing vaccine news on social media:
- Share your vaccine sticker or use a profile frame. If you want to publish information about your vaccine, there are safer ways to do so. You can share a photo with your vaccine sticker or place a frame around your Facebook profile photo to indicate your vaccination status .
- Check your security settings. Check your security settings across all social media platforms to see what you are sharing and with whom. If you want only friends and family to see your messages, make sure your privacy settings are configured this way.
- Respond with caution to popular social media queries . Posting a photo of a vaccine is the latest social trend. Think twice before engaging in other viral personal posts like listing all the cars you own (including brands / years), favorite songs, and top 10 TV shows. Some of these “favorite things” are commonly used passwords or security questions.
Another tip: if you lose your vaccination card, visit the CDC website and subscribe to VaxText , which will send you a reminder when it’s time to get your second dose of vaccine. (You can also contact your local health department if you lose your vaccine card.)