SD DA, Newsom Warn Of Penalties For Vaccine Card Forgery

San Diego CA

14 June, 2021

1:12 PM

Description

SAN DIEGO, CA —The San Diego County District Attorney's Office warned residents last week to be aware of phony COVID-19 vaccine cards, and made clear that creating these forgeries is illegal. In a release, the DA's office said it is aware of reports of advertisements offering fake vaccination cards on social media sites like Instagram. "This is a crime and anyone dealing in phony vaccination cards can be prosecuted with forging a seal or false personation of an official," the DA's office wrote. The DA's office said the cards provide recipients with information about the type of vaccine they received, whether and when they need a second dose and serve as a way for primary doctors to maintain accurate records. "Vaccine cards contain U.S. government seals and unauthorized duplication of these seals is illegal in California as well as a violation of federal criminal law," the DA's office wrote. California Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the issue of forged COVID-19 vaccine cards at his Friday press conference, which came after he presided over the latest drawing in the "Vax for the Win" program. "I worry about some of the illegal activity with vaccination cards, where some of the people are selling illegally forged vaccination cards," Newsom said while speaking in Vista. "We've highlighted some of the enforcement actions we've taken. We take that very, very seriously. If that activity persists, if we're aware of it, we're certainly going to target enforcement very aggressively. "If we're not aware of it, I encourage people to call that out." The San Diego County DA's office said residents can report suspicious activity involving fake vaccination record cards by contacting: state or local law enforcement officials, the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (1-800-HHS-TIPS or www.oig.hhs.gov) or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov). According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the state's latest masking guidance indicated that, beginning Tuesday, businesses have three options when interacting with unmasked customers: "trust them when they say they are vaccinated, implement vaccine verification or require everyone to wear a mask." As for the vaccine verification option, Newsom said Friday there soon will be an electronic system that will allow businesses to confirm their customers have received their shots. Though he said more details would be forthcoming. The governor also made clear there would not be a vaccine passport requirement. "As it relates to technology, there are opportunities to make available different strategies and to provide a more secure, safe and transparent form of verification," Newsom said. "But this is voluntary. I want to make crystal clear, before folks run with it - it has become so politicized - that there are no mandates, no requirements, no passports in that respect. "If a business, a private enterprise with the freedom of choice and decision, makes a decision as it relates to a choice, we would look to help support those efforts and modernize the opportunities. We look forward to making that announcement in that space, to provide support for those businesses that make that decision independently on the basis of their own determination."