The Baltimore branch of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is just one part of a national effort to shut down illegal vaccination identification – a new crime that no one even considered a possibility when the coronavirus pandemic started.
HSI has teams that handle any crime that might occur, such as pursuing gangs like MS-13 and investigating drug smuggling, human trafficking and cybercrime.
But no team specifically existed to handle the rising pandemic-related crime.
People started ordering counterfeit N95 masks and other personal protective equipment. Bootleg drugs and treatments soon followed, and HSI started to even see fraudulent vaccines before any COVID-19 vaccine existed.
FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2020, file photo, a COVID-19 vaccination record card is shown at Seton Medical Center in Daly City, Calif. Los Angeles leaders are poised to enact one of the nation's strictest vaccine mandates, a sweeping measure that would require the shots for everyone entering a bar, restaurant, nail salon, gym or even a Lakers game. The City Council on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, is scheduled to consider the proposal and most members have said they support it as a way of preventing further COVID-019 surges. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Then, fake vaccine cards appeared, with some people advertising for them on social media. Amar Shabazz, 23, allegedly bought 600 fake vaccine cards to distribute online. He sold an initial batch and attracted the attention of HSI-Baltimore, FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection before he could sell more.
Shabazz ordered over 600 cards from a foreign website and faces 20 years for each count of Mail Fraud and Obstruction of Justice.
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Assistant Special Agent in Charge Freddie Taylor told Fox News that most of the counterfeit merchandise appears to come from Chinese websites. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigations, Taylor could not share all the details of what other websites they have identified or how they track down the offenders, but he did reveal that the department is pursuing 10 to 15 ongoing cases.
The agents leading the investigations each boast decades of law enforcement – first with U.S. Customs prior to joining DHS at its 2003 inception.
Amar Shabazz, 23, faces federal charges for mail fraud and obstruction of justice after he distributed over 600 fake vaccine cards. (Courtesy Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services)
Deputy Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith told Fox News that the issue is a "public safety issue when you’re ordering thousands of cards and charging a profit for it and handing out to the public."
And the issue is not going away.
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The agents could not reveal how many cards have reached the public, but with high-profile personalities like Tampa Bay Buccaneer Antonio Brown allegedly obtaining a fake vaccine card, it is clear that the issue is more widespread than some might think.
One NFL agent told Decider that he estimated between 10 to 15% of NFL athletes have obtained fake vaccine cards.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 20: Antonio Brown #81 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
"It’s definitely continuing to increase, because as we go further, and more and more vaccination mandates are implemented across the country, there is definitely a larger increase, and definitely with the variants, we’re seeing an increase," Taylor said.
The Department of Homeland Security has some of the most expansive capabilities among federal law enforcement agencies, but no team existed to handle the cases of fake vaccine cards.
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HSI-Baltimore turned the cases over to its Intellectual Property Rights crime group, which has devoted a team to handle the vaccine card fraud.
"As this is a new trend of criminal activity, one of the first things we’re going with is mail fraud, because that is one of the easiest to show since we’re catching it as it comes into the United States, and we’re getting False Statement on Government documents," Taylor said.
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The agents did not divulge all the ways they identify the cards, but Taylor noted that the fraudulent cards often contain misspellings and bad grammar – signs that the producers spoke English as a second language at best.
"Because of the pandemic it’s new criminal activity – particular crimes we haven’t seen before," Taylor noted. "However, our investigative efforts are the same we have used in other problematic areas."
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HSI-Baltimore works in tandem with a number of "state and local partners" to track and catch offenders. Due to the mail fraud element of the crimes, U.S. Inspection Service – Washington Division and the Baltimore County Police Department have contributed to the operations.
The agents leading the investigations each boast decades of law enforcement – first with U.S. Customs prior to joining DHS at its 2003 inception.
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