Here's Why You Shouldn't Post Your COVID-19 Vaccine Card
The Very Important Reason You Shouldn't Share Your COVID-19 Vaccination Card on Social Media
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If you've gotten the COVID-19 vaccine (yay!), you may be tempted to post a picture of your vaccination card on social media. Trust us, we get it; you've waited a freakin' year for this moment, and it's finally here. But before you let your emotions get the best of you, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is asking people not to share their vaccination cards on social media as they can breach your cybersecurity.
How Can Sharing the COVID-19 Vaccination Card Breach Your Security?
The COVID-19 vaccination card contains personal information that, when shared, can make it easy for identity thieves and scammers to target you. These pieces of information include your first and last name, your date of birth, and even when and where you were vaccinated. Scammers can use this information to create phony vaccination cards to sell, open credit in your name, collect your tax refund, and so much more. If you think about it, you wouldn't share your driver's licence or birth certificate on social media for security reasons, so why would you share your vaccination card?
Can I Still Post to Social Media That I've Been Vaccinated?
Yes, you can still post on social media that you've been vaccinated. Technically, you can still post the vaccination card if you block out personal information such as your first and last name, date of birth, and vaccination location, but there are still ways this can backfire (there are edits that lighten blocked-off text to reveal what's underneath). While it's unlikely scammers will be able to do anything with your first and last name alone, sharing your birth date and vaccination location with your name attached is practically giving scammers and identity thieves a package of free information they'd otherwise have to dig for, and can even interfere with your ability to get a second shot (!). The safest way to post that you've been vaccinated is with a vaccination sticker, which is handed out alongside your vaccination card at most vaccination sites.
