TEXAS, USA — The FBI has warned the public about vaccine card scammers.
More and more West Texans have been purchasing and using these vaccine cards to pass for the real thing.
They have also seen posts on Facebook and other social media platforms about how people who didn't want to get the actual vaccine are trying to purchase these cards, but are ending up not even receivng them.
The FBI believes they will continue to see an increase here as more businesses start to require proof of vaccines and negative COVID-19 tests.
"What we are concerned about is two-folded," said Jeanette Harper, the Public Affairs Officer at the FBI El Paso division. "Just one that individual are misrepresenting themselves as receiving the vaccine and putting yourself at risk and others around you at risk for COVID-19."
It is against the law to purchase or reproduce these COVID-19 vaccine cards. People can face up to five years in prison or a fine of $5,000 for copying an HHS seal.
The FBI says that people should report any suspicious activity they see related to this.
If people cannot find their vaccine cards, they can go to their local health department or to the place where they received their vaccine to reproduce their card.