Sat 14 August 2021:
After many doctors reported having their health service accounts hacked, the French authorities are now investigating a series of COVID-19 vaccine certificate scams.
In one instance, one of several forgery rackets under investigation, fraudsters gained access to the online account of a GP near Bordeaux and obtained 55 false documents.
Another doctor in Marseilles reported being similarly hacked, and others have told the authorities that there had been attempts to access their accounts.
Several hackers have been put under investigation in recent weeks in Paris, Grenoble and Bordeaux. At the end of last month, a vaccine centre contract worker was jailed after he was found to have generated 200 false QR codes.
Also, the health authority has reported a growing number of forged certificates, with 46 incidents under police investigation since May.
The forgers are also producing fake negative COVID-19 tests.
Two weeks ago, two women who had been working at a vaccine centre at Bordeaux were arrested and accused of selling fake certificates for between €80 and €150 each. They are being investigated for “fraud, profiting from fraud, and passive corruption” and face up to three years in prison and fines of up to €45,000 if convicted.
Local deputy prefect, Martin Guespereau, told journalists, “Health pass fraud is very serious and is severely punished. Nobody should be cheating with the vaccine”.
Guespereau added that one of the arrested women had insisted her motives were not entirely financial.
“She believes that someone who doesn’t want to be vaccinated has the right not to be and still continue to have a normal life without being excluded from certain places,” he said.
Various hackers have been put under investigation in recent weeks in Paris, Grenoble and Bordeaux.
During the end of July, a vaccine centre contract worker was jailed after he was found to have generated 200 false QR codes.
Before the president, Emmanuel Macron, announced the health pass in July, Le Figaro recorded between 500 and 600 internet searches for “fake declaration.” Researchers discovered that the figure had risen to almost 4,000 within hours of Macron’s declaration.
