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Counterfeit vaccination cards are distributed in New York: buying it as easy as shelling pears

'15.09.2021'

Nurgul Sultanova-Chetin

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On September 13, New York began to fine institutions that allow unvaccinated visitors. Now, to enter restaurants and similar establishments, they require a vaccination card. And this has created a demand for counterfeit cards. New York Magazine.

Photo: Shutterstock

One hot night in early August, 20-year-old Henry (not his real name) and his friends gathered to visit a bar in Greenwich Village. They armed themselves with fake IDs stating that they had already reached 21 years of age. At the entrance, they showed these IDs and vaccination cards, but they were refused. The security guard explained the reason for the refusal: the dates of birth on their ID and vaccination cards did not match.

Henry was fully vaccinated in May and the vaccination cards were real. However, according to Henry, he and his friends had no choice but to fake proof of vaccination with the dates of birth indicated on their fake IDs.

Excelsior and Photoshop

Henry was soon contacted by a doctor who sold him a CDC vaccination card with his real name and revised date of birth for $ 200. The other guys from Henry's company had to get more creative.

“I know that a lot of people edit their data in Excelsior (New York vaccination confirmation application) or photos of their actual vaccination cards,” Henry said. He added that some of them are good at Photoshop.

On the subject: Why many Americans and even healthcare workers refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19

As demands for vaccinations spread, the black market for fake cards is growing rapidly. Information about the sellers of such cards is passed by word of mouth through friends, colleagues, drug dealers and even doctors.

Employees of establishments also buy fake cards

Bars and restaurants are the main target of the vaccination mandate as this is where many people gather. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, the workers of such establishments are becoming increasingly smart in looking for ways to evade these rules.

Dana, a 21-year-old East Village bartender, said she was not vaccinated, like many in her industry. Moreover, employers did not provide her or her colleagues with any details about what data to look for in clients' vaccination cards. They just asked Dana and her colleagues to act on their own..

“I've never been vaccinated in my life,” Dana said proudly. She said that both of her parents are doctors working outside the United States. She grew up in different countries around the world, "in places where vaccination is not so popular."

She and her entourage do not deny science, but they do not like the pressure that comes with vaccinations.

"It's very confusing when young," she sighed, "when so many people tell you what you should and shouldn't do with your body."

What clearly does not confuse her is the information on where and how to get a fake vaccination card. Dana said that recently during a conversation with a friend, she told him that she was not vaccinated. He asked for her date of birth and "within a minute" provided her with a Photoshop QR code that mimics the one generated by the Excelsior Pass app. But that was not necessary.

Dana had already bought a fake card from her colleague before. He allegedly stole a stack of vaccination cards during vaccination when the administrator turned his back. Dana added that it is like buying "weed". We all have a friend who sells it.

The counterfeit card business is doing very well

Indeed, some of the fake cards are sold by drug dealers.

“The business is going really, really well,” said Alan, a counterfeit card seller who also sells weed and cocaine.

"Too good. I need a vacation, ”he added.

“You know, I foresaw this in March,” he said, adding that his job requires being able to anticipate market needs. In the spring, the vaccine instilled confidence in the broad masses of New Yorkers and Alan predicted that fake vaccination cards would soon appear.

Check Point - one of the largest cybersecurity firms in the United States - says fake vaccination cards first appeared on the darknet. Then the market moved to apps like Telegram and Facebook Messenger. Alan uses these apps exclusively for business. According to him, he relies on recommendations to support his clientele.

On the subject: First Vaccination Reward: Every New Yorker Will Be Paid To Get The COVID-19 Vaccination

Believing Alan's prediction, he and his anonymous the boss began looking for unscrupulous doctors who wanted to earn money in late spring. They pushed for access to blank cards and to the state's online immunization system where people could add names.

Initially they charged $ 150 a piece, and then raised the price to $ 250. It seems that Alan is somewhat upset by the actions of the “mediators”. He says they insist on being paid in bitcoin and keep pushing prices up.

Pharmacists went into business too

В this pharmacists also participate in the game. A few weeks ago, a Chicago pharmacist was charged with stealing government property. He allegedly sold 125 genuine blank CDC cards for $ 1200.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office last month accused 13 hospital and nursing home workers in New York of acquiring fake vaccination cards.

They bought cards on Instagram for $ 200 each. Prosecutors claim their supplier was a self-proclaimed entrepreneur who operated under the name AntiVaxMomma. The accomplice was an employee of a medical clinic. He entered client names into the New York City Vaccine Database for an additional $ 250.

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