LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Tuesday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called on Twitter, eBay, and Shopify to act immediately to prevent people from offering to sell fraudulent Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
A bipartisan coalition of 45 attorneys general raised concerns about the public health risks of these fake cards in a letter to the companies’ CEOs.
“These cards look legitimate, but are anything but. By selling these fake vaccine cards, bad actors are undermining the public safety and prolonging this pandemic,” Nessel said in a statement. “My colleagues and I are urging Twitter, eBay and Shopify to help prevent the sale of these phony cards and protect the public health.”
Legitimate vaccination cards are given by providers when the vaccine is administered. People who buy fake cards can have their own information added to the card or add it in themselves, so it appears they have been vaccinated when they have not.
Nessel says these deceptive cards threaten the health of communities, slow progress in getting people protected from the virus, and violate many state laws.
In their letter, the attorneys general ask the CEOs to:
- Monitor their platforms for ads or links selling blank or fraudulently-completed vaccination cards.
- Promptly remove ads or links that are selling cards.
- Preserve records and information about the ads and the people offering the fake vaccination cards.
A copy of the letter is available here.