Over 40 counterfeit coronavirus vaccination cards were seized Monday by Chicago officials at O'Hare International Airport for the second time this September.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the International Mail Facility found fake COVID vaccine cards from two packages, originally coming from China, officials said.
According to a release, the packages were labeled that they held greeting cards, but inside were 21 counterfeit COVID vaccination cards in one parcel and 20 fake cards in the other.
“These dishonest vendors that are producing and sending these counterfeit cards are putting the American population in danger with every card they produce,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, director of field operations for the Chicago Field Office. “Ordering and producing these cards is illegal and the only reason this is being done is to make a quick dollar, when getting the vaccination is free.”
The cards "closely resembled" the real U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention certificates administered by health care providers, officials said. These cards appeared to be fraudulent because of their "low-quality appearance and other discrepancies."
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Both packages were seized on Monday and headed to a residential address in Bartelso and Houston, Texas, a release said. Earlier this month, 19 counterfeit COVID vaccine cards were seized while making their way to a residence in Ohio.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned that buying, selling and using counterfeit COVID vaccine cards breaks U.S. laws and places people at risk.
