NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee is warning people not to post their vaccination cards online as scammers may be able to use the data written on them.
Reports of identity theft are coming out of Europe from people who post selfies with their card after vaccinations. Personal data on the cards can be used for someone to commit identity theft, said Robyn Householder, CEO of the Middle Tennessee BBB.
"Once they see that information there's opportunity for them to do identity theft, there's opportunity for them to potentially access banking information. Not to mention the fact that a lot of these cards are being sold online and they're bogus," said Householder.
Across the U.S., the BBB reports an increase of 60% to 70% in overall scams since the pandemic started in March 2020.
Householder said she wants to get ahead of this particular scam before it spreads to Tennessee.
"For us, it's a proactive message that it's coming. We have no doubt that it's coming. We can watch things move across the globe, move across the U.S," she said.
Householder suggests taking a picture with a vaccination sticker rather than the card.
"If you have been vaccinated, it's great that you want to share that, but there's safer ways to do it. Usually, when you get vaccinated, they give you some type of sticker, take a picture of that and post it online," she said.
