Despite your enthusiasm over your COVID-19 vaccination, the Better Business Bureau is warning you not to share pictures of your vaccination cards online, which could attract scammers.


What You Need To Know

  • BBB: Scammers are seeing opportunity as vaccine becomes available to more

  • Fraudsters can scrape information from vaccination card pictures posted online

  • Bureau also warning people to take extra precautions on "vaccine hunter" sites

Legitimate vaccination cards include personal information, such as your full name, birthday, and the location of your vaccination.

But it's not just personal information that scammers could be after: The image of your real vaccination card could be used to make a fake one.

Fraudsters in Great Britain have been caught selling fake vaccination cards on eBay and TikTok, the BBB says, and it's only a matter of time before they're found to be doing the same in the U.S.

The BBB doesn't want to dampen your enthusiasm over your momentous occasion, though: It suggests sharing a photo of your vaccine sticker instead, or take a selfie getting your shot at the clinic. 

The bureau says another way scammers could prey on you is through "vaccine hunter" websites. With vaccine appointments often booking up and hard to come by, these sites offer to help people find appointments and leftover vaccine doses through social media groups and websites.

Many are well-meaning and offer legitimate help. However, there are scammers out there who could solicit you for personal information or ask for payment.

If you do need help finding an appointment, be very selective with whom you accept help. VaccineFinder.org is promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But make sure you aren't at a lookalike site.

Also, never pay for vaccine doses or to get your name on a waiting list. The federal government is paying for vaccinations, so no one should have to pay out of pocket. And pharmacy providers, such as Publix, CVS, Walmart, are being reimbursed and should also not charge you. Finally, you won't be asked for your social security number or bank account information to get vaccinated, and if you are, it may be a scam.

Head to the BBB website for a full list of tips on how to protect yourself from vaccine scams.