Falsified COVID-19 vaccination certificates, stolen vaccines, and falsified doctors’ signatures are being sold on the dark web for bitcoin.
According to a report on Thursday from blockchain analytics company Coinfirm, vendors have been selling the certificates and vaccines for a range of cryptos including bitcoin, ether, dash, litecoin, tron, monero and zcash.
The company says these particular types of crypto are being chosen either due to their ubiquitousness in global crypto trade or because of the anonymity afforded as privacy coins.
One particular dark web vendor, known as the “COVID-19 Vaccine Shop,” appears to be selling vaccines in bulk ranging from AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BionTech, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Sputnik V, Coinfirm reported.
In addition to the illicit sale of vaccines, the report also said COVID-19 certificates, which were part of a “probable health sector corruption” from multiple vendors in the U.S., Russia and other countries, were being sold.
Not only were fake certificates masquerading as proof of vaccination being sold to clients, but their details were being entered into national health systems where in certain instances doctors’ signatures were found.
One bitcoin address identified by Coinfirm as having received funds for fraudulent vaccine certificates was found belonging to an exchange registered in Hong Kong catering “strongly to Eastern European clientele.”
CoinDesk attempted to clarify which exchange Coinfirm was referencing and how it identified Eastern Europeans as a major market but did not receive a reply by press time.
Coinfirm did however mention the well-worn issue regarding certain exchanges lacking Know Your Customer controls, allowing for an “easy” fiat on/off ramp for criminals to cash out.
“It is for these reasons that every obliged entity should institute rigorous KYC policies,” the company said.