Should you share your COVID-19 vaccine card on social media?

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is one of the best things we can do to protect ourselves and others against the deadly virus. It’s not surprising, therefore, that people want to share the news that they’ve been vaccinated on social media. Depending on how they do that, however, they could be putting themselves at risk.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) recently put out a warning instructing people not to post photos of their COVID-19 vaccination cards on social media. Those cards contain sensitive personal information including birth dates and full names. According to the BBB, that’s enough information for scammers to try and open credit cards or take other nefarious actions in your name. Those images can also be used to create fake vaccination cards — the BBB said the U.K. has already identified a number of scammers selling fake cards.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t share the news that you’ve been vaccinated — sharing your story is a good way to encourage others who may be hesitant to get the vaccine. The BBB has three recommendations on how to do so securely: 1) Share your vaccine sticker or use a profile frame instead, 2) Review your security settings to control who will see your post, and 3) Be wary of answering popular social media groups, or participating in viral social media trends.