Over 1,600 fake COVID-19 vaccination cards seized by US Customs officers in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI — U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers have seized over 1,600 fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and over 2,000 fake Pfizer inoculation stickers from five overseas shipments that arrived in Cincinnati, according to a department spokesperson.

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Since mid-August, customs officers found the fake cards in shipments originating from China that were being imported to homes in Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New York, and Texas, the spokesperson said.

The cards displayed a logo for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however officers spotted misspellings and “substandard printing” that alerted officers the cards were indeed fake.

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“Creating or buying a fake COVID-19 vaccination card is illegal, not to mention dangerous. Purchasing counterfeit cards supports criminals whose only concern is their bank account, not American security or the health of our citizens,” Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie said in a media release.

“Our officers know that counterfeiters will try to replicate anything to benefit themselves, with no thought to the innocent victims that may suffer from their actions. The men and women of CBP are trained and ready to shut down these scammers and protect our country.”

The seizures in Cincinnati is the latest seizure by customs officers, which have also included fake vaccine card seizures in Chicago, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Anchorage, the spokesperson said.

Additional details were not released.

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