Fake vaccination card concerns grow as more local colleges require shots
UNIVERSITY CITY - A number of colleges across the country, and locally, are requiring students be vaccinated. But, there are concerns about a new kind of cheating on campus.
Every day, more colleges, restaurants, stores and workplaces are requiring a COVID vaccine. But, as more are mandating a shot, that has opened the door to cheating the system.
"I’ve been hearing it among my friends. My friends don’t have any, but I’ve just been hearing on social media and things like that," Ranson Gaymon, a freshman at St. Joseph’s University, said.
Counterfeit vaccine cards can be found all over the internet. One Instagram account offers "Fully Registered" cards selling for $25.00 each. One Reddit user posted "I need one, too, for college. I refuse to be a guinea pig."
College students at Drexel haven’t heard of anyone using them, but they know they’re out there.
"I assumed it would happen, because it tends to happen. But, I certainly hope they don’t," freshman Joe Kulikovsky stated.
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"If people can make fake id’s, I’m sure they can make fake vaccination cards," commented freshman Emily Daly.
FOX 29 checked with several universities requiring vaccines to find out how they will verify cards are real. Rutgers said students must upload their documentation and a staff person will verify it’s real.
But, some say the system is ripe for fraud.
"It could cause a problem not only legally, but certainly in your academic environment," stated Gerard Schrom of Schrom and Shaffer, P.C.
Delaware County defense attorney Schrom says it’s a federal crime with a five-year prison sentence to counterfeit a vaccination card. But, more importantly, it’s just a bad idea.
"It’s too important, too critical and there will be penalties associated with that and some universities will enforce that. And, some states will enforce that," Schrom explained.
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