BBB warns of yet another vaccine scam

On Jan. 29, the Herald-News shared tips from the Better Business Bureau for protecting against vaccine scams.

Here’s one more tip from the BBB: Don’t share a photo of your vaccination card on social media, no matter how excited you are to show the world you received a COVID-19 vaccination or how much you want to encourage others to receive the vaccine, too.

In a news release from the BBB Steve Bernas, president and CEO of BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois said, “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.”

But the issue isn’t only the sharing of personal information. The BBB said that scammers in Great Britain were caught selling fake vaccination cards on eBay and TikTok. Eventually, similar cons will appear in the U.S, the BBB said.

However, you still can share the good news about your COVID-19 vaccination on social media. Here’s how to do it safely, according to the BBB.

• Share your vaccine sticker or use a profile frame instead.

• Check security settings, especially if you only want family and friends to see the post.

• Think twice before sharing your vaccine photo in a social media prompt.

• And then think again before sharing any personal information in a social media prompt, such as a list of all the cars you’ve owned (including makes/model years), favorite songs and top 10 TV shows. Some of these “favorite things” are commonly used as passwords or answers to security questions.

To report a scam, visit BBB.org/ScamTracker.

For information, visit BBB.org/AvoidScams.