The Better Business Bureau that serves Connecticut is warning people who are getting the COVID-19 vaccine not to share photos of the vaccine card on social media.
We’ve all seen friends and loved ones who have been able to get a vaccine share selfies on Facebook, Instagram or other social media platforms, but the local Better Business Bureau warns that the information on it makes you vulnerable to identity theft and can help scammers create phony versions of the cards.
“Unfortunately, your card has your full name and birthday on it, as well as information about where you got your vaccine. If your social media privacy settings aren’t set high, you may be giving valuable information away for anyone to use,” the Better Business Bureau warns.
They also warn that sharing personal information isn’t the only issue and that scammers in Great Britain were caught selling fake vaccination cards on eBay and TikTok.
“It’s only a matter of time before similar cons come to the United States and Canada. Posting photos of your card can help provide scammers with information they can use to create and sell phony ones,” a news release from the Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut states.
Safe Ways to Share COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Safe ways to share news of your vaccine on social media include sharing a photo of your vaccine sticker or setting a frame around your profile picture.
They urge you to check the security settings on your social media accounts to see what you are sharing and with whom. If you only want friends and family to see your posts, be sure that’s how your privacy settings are configured.
They also urge people to be wary of answering popular social media prompts and think twice before participating in other viral personal posts, such as listing all the cars you’ve owned, favorite songs and top 10 TV shows because some of these “favorite things” are commonly used passwords or security questions.
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BBB said it has identified many ways in which scammers are cashing in the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’ve spotted a scam, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker..
Find more information about scams and how to avoid them at BBB.org/AvoidScams.