Fake Vaccine Cards Pose Enforcement Challenge as Mandates Rise

Fake Covid-19 vaccine cards are presenting a fresh quandary for enforcement efforts: Unlike most consumer fraud, neither the buyer nor seller is taking advantage of the other.

From August to September, the number of sellers on the darknet offering forged vaccination records or test results went from about 1,000 to 10,000, according to cybersecurity firm Check Point Research. The rise in sellers coincides with an uptick in mandates for consumers around the U.S. to show proof of vaccination before entering certain venues.

The issue poses a novel challenge for both federal agencies and businesses because fake vaccine cards aren’t like ...