Perry County woman agrees to stop selling fake vaccine cards

A Perry County woman has reached a consent agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to settle a federal civil lawsuit over her creation, reproduction and sale of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.

Tiffany Keller, 39, of Junction City, charged $40 per card, selling more than 77 fake cards between August and February, according to a lawsuit filed May 10 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Columbus.

According to the lawsuit, Keller initially advertised her services on a May 2021 blog post inquiring about fake vaccination cards. She offered to print cards for a user and provided an email that was traced back to her. Keller offered her services to other users on the post.

On Feb. 10, an HHS investigator sent Keller, who was using the name Jane, an email offering to pay for fake vaccine cards, according to the lawsuit. Keller responded and used another email offering to sell the cards for $40 each with $7.95 for priority shipping.

The lawsuit states Keller did not receive approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to create and sell the cards, and sought a permanent injunction to prevent her from continuing to produce, sell and advertise the fake cards.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 proof-of-vaccination cards are required for some jobs, travel abroad and school registration.

Reproducing, reprinting and distributing a Health and Human Services form, application or other publication for a fee without consent is a violation of federal law, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Keller could have faced a fine of up to $11,506 for each of the 77 violations, for a total of more than $885,960.

“Manufacturing and selling fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards can undermine critical public health measures and put the health of Americans at risk,” Robert Deconti, acting chief counsel for the U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, said in the release.

Deconti said the HHS Inspector General’s office works with law enforcement “to hold accountable those who attempt to illegally profit from the pandemic.”

Keller admitted in a federal consent agreement that she reproduced and sold fake COVID vaccination cards, according to a release. She agreed to discontinue selling the cards, misusing Health and Human Services words, symbol or emblems, and advertising or soliciting the sale of fake vaccine cards.

If Keller violates the consent agreement, she will face more than $400,000 in civil penalties. Keller could not be reached by The Dispatch for comment.

Anyone with information about fake CDC vaccination cards can contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 1-200-447-5477. Allegations of fraud can be reported to the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-7205721.

Jorozco@dispatch.com @Jessicacorozco