Mum’s the word

So you just got your arm poked, and you’re vaccinated. It’s an exciting moment, and it’s completely understandable if you shed a tear or two. You’ve taken one step closer to immunity, and you want to tell the world. But hold on a moment.

When you get vaccinated, you’ll get a little piece of paper with some basic information on it: your name, birthday, the type of vaccine you got, the lot that particular vaccine came shipped with, and unless you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, when to return for your second dose.

Lots of folks have shared pictures of themselves holding up their cards on social media. Again, the excitement is understandable. After more than a year in a pandemic, who wouldn’t be ecstatic to finally have protection?

But there are few risks you need to be aware of, particularly when it comes to identity theft. CNBC has more:

“For starters, sharing a photo of your vaccination card on social media makes you a potential target of identity theft. Not only does the personal information on the card, including your full name and birthday, make you vulnerable to scammers, it also provides all the information they need to create and sell phony cards online.”

With robocalls and thousands of scammers across the globe just waiting for a chance to steal personal information, you’ve got to be careful about what you put out into cyberspace. So instead of taking a selfie with your card, maybe just show a picture of your bandage or your sticker.

A grand total of 14.4 million Americans were victims of identity fraud in 2019. That’s according to a study from advisory firm Javelin Strategy & Research. And if you post a picture of your vaccine card, it increases the odds you’ll be one of them.

At the very least, use an app on your phone to paint over any personal information. Most social media apps will let you put virtual stickers on images you share.

The scammers are constantly looking to get a toe in the door. Don’t give them an inch.