The Better Business Bureau is warning British Columbians that their COVID-19 vaccination card could be the next target of scammers and identity thieves.
It will still be months before most B.C. residents even get their first shot of the vaccine, but, when they do, they’ll be eligible to receive a hard copy of their vaccine certification.
While official data about their vaccination status will be kept in a secure provincial database, the card itself features a variety of potentially sensitive personal information, including their name, date of birth, vaccine batch number and vaccination dates.
The organization is urging British Columbians not to post online photos of their cards.
“In the excitement to share the good news about being vaccinated and encourage others to do the same, we must still keep in mind that not everyone on social media is trustworthy,” said BBB spokesperson Karla Laird.
“If your social media privacy settings are not set high, you may be giving valuable information away for anyone to use. Scammers and fraudsters are quick to see opportunities where they can turn innocent information-sharing into schemes that take advantage of others.”
The BBB is also warning that sharing photos of vaccination cards could help scammers create realistic, counterfeit versions.
The organization points to recent reports of bogus vaccine cards turning up in the U.K.
No such fraudulent cards have been reported in B.C. yet, but the BBB says “it’s only a matter of time before such cons come to Canada.”
When people do get their vaccine and wish to share the news with friends, the Better Business Bureau recommends sharing a photo of a vaccine sticker, or put a frame around their profile picture.
It’s also reminding people to check the security settings on their social media profiles and to be wary of social media trends that involve sharing personal information.
Shipment delays from both major COVID-19 vaccine producers have put a kink in the province’s plans to immunize the public.
Care home residents and front-line health-care workers remain the priority, and the province said in January it hopes to begin mass vaccination of seniors in April and May.
Younger British Columbians are not expected to get their first shots of the vaccine until July or August.
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