SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 1, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes has signed a bipartisan letter calling on Twitter, eBay, and Shopify to act immediately to prevent people from selling fake CDC vaccination cards on their platforms.
In a letter to the companies’ CEO’s, a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general raises concerns about the public health risks of this fraud, said a news release from the AG’s office.
“It’s sad but not surprising that fraudsters continue to take advantage of people during the pandemic, but we’re fighting back to protect Utahns,” said Reyes. “Some of these fraudsters we can investigate but many use tactics that evade prosecution. So, we’re asking social media platforms to help us crack down on ads and promotions designed to exploit vulnerable citizens.”
People who buy fake cards can have their own information added to the card or add it in themselves, so it appears they have been vaccinated when they have not, the news release said.
In their letter, the attorneys general ask the CEOs to:
- Monitor their platforms for ads or links selling blank or fraudulently completed vaccination cards.
- Promptly take down ads or links that are selling cards.
- Preserve records and information about the ads and the people who were selling them.
Reyes is joined in sending this letter by the Attorneys General of North Carolina, Tennessee, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Guam, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
A copy of the letter is available here.
