Fake Digital Vaccination Certificates Allegedly Sold Via Social Media From RM15 to RM200

By Karissa Lund  •  11 Aug 2021 in News

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According to NST, digital certificates “confirming” that an individual has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 vaccine are being sold by irresponsible parties via social media.

State police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said investigation papers have been opened under Section 22(d) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 or Act 342 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

“Following a police report, we have opened up investigation papers, whereby those found guilty can be fined not more than RM100,000 or maximum seven years’ imprisonment or both upon conviction,” he said today (11 Aug).

Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital Head of Department and Senior Consultant O&G, Datuk Dr Mohd Rushdan Mohd Noor recently exposed the alleged scheme through a Facebook post.

He noted that the digital certificates were being sold at RM15 each. Among others, it displayed a photograph of the holder of the digital certificate as well as the date and location of the vaccine doses given.

Dr Mohd Rushdan then questioned how authorities could differentiate between genuine and fake digital certificates if the public were allowed to make a vaccination certificate identity card or print the vaccination certificates themselves.

While this case has caught the attention of police, netizens are prompting calls for the authorities to take action after Twitter user @pedoqpop‘s now-deleted tweet showed a message he received from an anonymous individual, who was offered a fake Covid-19 digital certificate for RM200.

What’s more concerning is this fake certificate also offers to change buyers vaccination status in the MySejahtera system.

Yesterday (10 Aug), Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said that the Health Ministry would take stern action against anyone attempting to forge the digital Covid-19 vaccination certificate in the MySejahtera application.

He had said that the ministry’s enforcement division and other authorities viewed the issue seriously and would take necessary actions to prevent it.