Pirate's Cove

This would be a minor problem if the digital passports were originally positioned as something very simple, but, right from the get go the Big Government folks pushing them wanted them to be more than just a simple name and vaccination record

Scammers are looking to exploit digital vaccine records, officials warn

The push to obtain digital proof of vaccination provides an opportunity for scammers, consumer protection experts warn.

“The consumers are confused, and the scammers know it,” Steve McFarland, president and CEO of the Los Angeles/Silicon Valley chapter of the Better Business Bureau, told Yahoo News.

The BBB has seen an uptick in calls from people facing scams regarding their online vaccination records.

“What’s going on is that [scammers are] claiming that you can sign up for a QR code, maybe some type of a verification with them, and all you gotta do is pay a fee,” McFarland said. “Two, three weeks ago, we had people that were sending pictures of their vaccination card over social media, and of course that was giving your private information over the net, and scammers were jumping all over that.”

Well, you are a fool if you uploaded your vax card to social media, as so many did to virtue signal and even “to own the cons.” And some, let’s be honest, because they have to upload everything, including the cup of coffee they got this morning.

But while the digital version has its advantages, setting it up also presents security risks. Several bogus apps have sprung up in recent months, seeking to lure people into entering their personal financial information.

“They want to do it right now before you have time to think about it, before you have any time to do any investigation,” cybersecurity expert Matt Malone told Yahoo News. “The best thing a user can do to stop from getting scammed is take a breath.”

The best thing would have been for Los Federales setting up something simple that provided no personal information other than name and vaccination record. Nothing else. No social, no date of birth, no address. The last two can be used behind the scenes with strong security behind the scenes, perhaps using the, yes, I know, bad, IRS records, since they already have them. And it could be linked in to your COVID tests, if you have to take one (like I took the other week when I got a cold). But, no, Democrats wanted to make the digital vaccine passports about way more.

New York is currently the only state issuing digital COVID-19 vaccine records through a state-run app. But other states, such as Hawaii and California, have partnered with private companies to create something similar.

Are Hawaii and California having the companies develop, or run? Should those companies be given your private data?

An example of a private company issuing digital vaccine records is GoGotVax, which created VaxYes. Its site allows a person to securely input vaccination information for a digital record that can be added to an Apple Wallet or Android phone. The company said this could be useful for traveling, attending live events or returning to work.

And how safe is that? You want mine, I’ll show you a photo of my card.

“There’s scammers out there [saying], ‘Well, I can send ya over a vaccination card for $50. Just give me your credit card or some gift card information. I’ll do it for ya,’” McFarland said. “Well, people are doing it, and people call us complaining about it. That they wanted a card and they applied for a phony card — they admit it — but yet they want their money back.”

Some people are gullible. Let’s not forget, even the ACLU is concerned about them.