Over the last few months:
Pfizer and Moderna have both developed RNA vaccines, both inject a tiny fragment of the virus's genetic code into the body, which starts producing part of the coronavirus and pushes the body to mount a defense. These have been approved for use in the United States, UK, and Europe.
The Oxford vaccine is subtly different as it uses a harmless virus to carry the same genetic material into the body. This vaccine has been approved in the UK and Europe. It is the easiest of the three to use as it can be stored in a fridge, rather than needing very cold temperatures.
All three vaccines show great promise in the fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but don’t let the excitement impact your privacy. As more and more people across the world are getting their first and second doses of the vaccine, we are also seeing many of those same people sharing photos of their vaccination cards on social media.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has put out a warning to NOT post any photos of their vaccine information online as it increases the risk for identity theft as well as bad actors creating counterfeit vaccination cards.
As social media has grown to be a major factor is people’s lives it only seems ‘normal’ to share/celebrate such an exciting moment but those cards contain private information like the location you received your shot, your full name, date of birth, who administered the shot, as well as the day you received the vaccine- all which could be used to generate fake vaccine cards to sell.
Those criminals could also use that shared information to open lines of credit in your name. If you have already posted the card online, the BBB is urging you to remove the picture as soon as possible and opt for a selfie or a picture of your vaccine sticker instead.
Here at Extract, preserving privacy is what we do. We have developed an automated redaction tool that allows states and counties provide online access safely, securely, and cost-effectively. Our redaction solution, ID Shield, provides the needed flexibility and expertise to avoid any errors or missed sensitive data items. Extract has redacted over 5 billion pages of court records, land records, UCC filings, credit card statements, clinical research documents, etc. With twenty years of experience and 350 counties in 40 states we are able to deliver a proven solution. If you would like to learn more about how we can help, please reach out today.
Sources:
https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23675-bbb-tip-dont-share-your-vaccine-card-on-social-media
About the Author: Taylor Genter Taylor is the Marketing Specialist at Extract with experience in data analytics, graphic design, and both digital and social media marketing. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing at the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater. Taylor enjoys analyzing people’s behaviors and attitudes to find out what motivates them, and then curating better ways to communicate with them.