While you may get a sticker celebrating getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and you can totally share THAT with your followers on social media, there is one thing you should keep to yourself: your vaccination card.
Experts are warning that people sharing photos of the card which proves they have been vaccinated are at greater risk of being scammed due to the personal identification information that is on the cards. And I get it! Of course once you're vaccinated against this pandemic that has entirely changed our lives over the last year, you want to share the news with EVERYONE! But here's why that is risky:
A warning about sharing the cards comes from the Better Business Bureau, stating that due to the card having your full name and birthdate on it - as well as the location at which you got your vaccine - it can make you at risk for scams. And the scams aren't the ONLY issue, either!
Scammers in Great Britain were caught selling FAKE vaccination cards on eBay and TikTok, and the only way they would have been able to create the fake cards is by seeing legitimate cards from those who posted them.
And while we are all going to be excited to share the news when we do get vaccinated - there are some other options! Share your "I got vaccinated!" sticker if given one, or use the "vaccinated" frames to put around your profile picture to share the news. You can also check your social media security settings to see who is able to see what posts.
Another warning from the Better Business Bureau is to be careful about answering viral social media prompts, such as listing all the cards you've ever owned, favorite songs, and top 10 TV shows. You may not have thought about it before, but some of these “favorite things” are commonly used passwords or security questions and scammers can gain information on you from something that seems so innocent.
Be careful out there - and still celebrate getting the vaccine and putting an end to this pandemic!
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