{"id":121168,"date":"2021-05-10T21:01:35","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T04:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"\/blogs\/?p=121168"},"modified":"2024-07-08T01:06:44","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T08:06:44","slug":"fools-gold-questionable-vaccines-bogus-results-and-forged-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/other-blogs\/mcafee-labs\/fools-gold-questionable-vaccines-bogus-results-and-forged-cards\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Fool\u2019s Gold\u201d: Questionable Vaccines, Bogus Results, and Forged Cards"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Preface<\/h2>\n<p>Countries all over the world are racing to achieve so-called herd immunity against COVID-19 by vaccinating their populations. From the initial lockdown to the cancellation of events and the prohibition of business travel, to the reopening of restaurants, and relaxation of COVID restrictions on outdoor gatherings, the vaccine rollout has played a critical role in staving off another wave of infections and restoring some degree of normalcy. However, a new and troubling phenomenon is that consumers are buying COVID-19 vaccines on the black market due to the increased demand around the world. As a result, illegal COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination records are in high demand on darknet marketplaces.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">The impact on society is that t<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">he proliferation of fraudulent test results and counterfeit COVID-19 vaccine records pose a serious threat to public health<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0and spur the underground economy<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight SCXW99278374 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">Individuals<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0undoubtedly long to return to their pre-pandemic routines and the freedom of travel and behavior\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">denied them<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0over the last year.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">However, t<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">he\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">purchase\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">of\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">false COV<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">I<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">D-19 test certification<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0or vaccination card<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">to board aircraft, attend an event or enter a country endanger<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">themselves<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">,<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">even if they are\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">asymptomatic<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun CommentStart SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0It also<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0threatens\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">the lives of other people<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0in their own communities and around the world<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">Aside from the collective damage to global health,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">darknet<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0marketplace transactions encourage the supply of illicit goods and services. The underground economy cycle continues as demand creates inventory, which in turn creates supply.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">In addition to selling COVID-19 vaccines, vaccination cards, and fake test results, c<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">ybercriminals\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">can<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0also\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">benefit\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">by reselling the names, dates of birth, home addresses, contact details<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">,<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">\u00a0and other personally indefinable information of their customers<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW99278374 BCX0\">.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW99278374 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Racing Toward a Fully Vaccinated Society Along with a Growing Underground Vaccine Market<\/h2>\n<p>As we commemorate the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 184 countries and territories worldwide have started their vaccination rollouts.<a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a> The United States is vaccinating Americans at an unprecedented rate. As of May 2021, more than <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#vaccinations\">105 million Americans<\/a> had been fully vaccinated. The growing demand has made COVID-19 vaccines the new \u201cliquid gold\u201d in the pandemic era.<\/p>\n<p>However, following vaccination success, COVID-19 related cybercrime has increased. COVID-19 vaccines are currently available on at least a dozen darknet marketplaces. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines (and we can only speculate as to whether they are genuine or a form of liquid \u201cfool\u2019s gold\u201d) can be purchased for as little as $500 per dose from top-selling vendors. These sellers use various channels, such as Wickr, Telegram, WhatsApp and Gmail, for advertising and communications. Darknet listings associated with alleged Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are selling for $600 to $2,500. Prospective buyers can receive the product within 2 to 10 days. Some of these supposed COVID-19 vaccines are imported from the United States, while others are packed in the United Kingdom and shipped to every country in the world, according to the underground advertisement.<\/p>\n<p>A vendor sells 10 doses of what they claim to be Moderna COVID-29 vaccines for $2,000. According to the advertisement, the product is available to ship to the United Kingdom and worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>Besides what are claimed to be COVID-19 vaccines, cybercriminals offer antibody home test kits for $152 (again, we do not know whether they are genuine or not). According to the advertisement, there are various shipping options available. It costs $41 for \u2018stealth&#8217; shipping to the United States, $10.38 to ship to the United Kingdom, and $20 to mail the vaccines internationally.<\/p>\n<h2>Proof of Vaccination in the Underground Market<\/h2>\n<p>On the darknet marketplaces, the sales of counterfeit COVID-19 test results and vaccination certificates began to outnumber the COVID vaccine offerings in mid-April. This shift is most likely because COVID-19 vaccines are now readily available for those who want them. People can buy and show these certificates without being vaccinated. A growing number of colleges will require students to have received a COVID-19 vaccine before returning to in-person classes by this fall.<a href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a> Soon, COVID-19 vaccination proof is likely to become a requirement of some type of \u201cpassport\u201d to board a plane or enter major events and venues.<\/p>\n<p>The growing demand for proof of vaccination is driving an illicit economy for fake vaccination and test certificates. Opportunistic cybercriminals capitalize on public interest in obtaining a COVID-19 immunity passport, particularly for those who oppose COVID-19 vaccines or test positive for COVID-19 but want to return to school or work, resume travel or attend a public event. Counterfeit negative COVID-19 test results and COVID-19 vaccination cards are available for sale at various darknet marketplaces. Fake CDC-issued vaccination cards are available for $50. One vendor offers counterfeit German COVID-19 certificates for $23.35. Vaccination cards with customized information, such as \u201cverified\u201d batch or lot numbers for particular dates and \u201cvalid\u201d medical and hospital information, are also available for purchase.<\/p>\n<p>One darknet marketplace vendor offers to sell a digital copy of the COVID-19 vaccination card with detailed printing instructions for $50<\/p>\n<p>One vendor sells CDC vaccination cards for $1,200 and $1,500, as seen in the following screenshot. These cards, according to the advertisement, can be personalized with details such as the prospective buyer\u2019s name and medical information.<\/p>\n<p>Other darknet marketplace vendors offer fake CDC-issued COVID-19 vaccination card packages for $1,200 to $2,500. The package contains a PDF file that buyers can type and print, as well as personalized vaccination cards with \u201creal\u201d lot numbers, according to the advertisement. Prospective buyers can pay $1,200 for blank cards or $1,500 for custom-made cards with valid batch numbers, medical and hospital details.<\/p>\n<p>One vendor offers counterfeit negative COVID-19 test results and vaccine passports to potential buyers.<\/p>\n<p>A seller on another dark web market sells five counterfeit German COVID-19 certificates for $23.35. According to the advertisement below, the product is available for shipping to Germany and the rest of the world.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">The proliferation of fraudulent test results and counterfeit COVID-19 vaccine records on\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">darknet<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0marketplaces pose<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0a significant threat to global health\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">while\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">fuel<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">ing<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0the underground economy<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">While an increasing number of countries beg<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">i<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">n to roll out COVID-19 vaccines and proof of vaccination,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">questionable COVID vaccines and fake proofs are emerging on the underground market.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight SCXW91442006 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun CommentStart SCXW91442006 BCX0\">With the EU and other jurisdictions opening their borders to those who have received vaccinations, individuals will be tempted to obtain false vaccination documents in their drive to a return to pre-pandemic normalcy that includes summer travel and precious time with missed loved ones.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">Those who buy\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">questionable\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">COVID-19 vaccines or forged vaccination certificate<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">s\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">risk their own lives and the lives of others<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">Apart from the harm to global health,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">making payments to\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">darknet<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0marketplace<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0promote<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">the growth of\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">illegal products and services. The cycle of the underground economy continues as demand generates inventory, which generates supply.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW91442006 BCX0\">These are the unintended consequences of an effective global COVID vaccine rollout.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW91442006 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> https[:]\/\/www.cnn.com\/interactive\/2021\/health\/global-covid-vaccinations\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> https[:]\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/04\/11\/984787779\/should-colleges-require-covid-19-vaccines-for-fall-more-campuses-are-saying-yes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preface Countries all over the world are racing to achieve so-called herd immunity against COVID-19 by vaccinating their populations. From&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":961,"featured_media":99158,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[442],"tags":[8731],"coauthors":[5330],"class_list":["post-121168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mcafee-labs","tag-guardians"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>&quot;Fool\u2019s Gold\u201d: Questionable Vaccines, Bogus Results, and Forged Cards | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Preface Countries all over the world are racing to achieve so-called herd immunity against COVID-19 by vaccinating their populations. 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