Italy busts schemes selling fake EU Covid-19 passes, purported vaccines on dark web
- Police said an investigation showed that thousands of people were ready to pay for false certificates
- Prices ranged from US$130-US$155 for an ‘all inclusive’ package of fake pass and purported vial of vaccine
The investigation, coordinated by the cybercrime prosecutor’s office in Milan, showed that thousands of people were ready to pay for false certificates, a police statement said.
The EU on Thursday launched a digital Covid-19 certificate designed to help citizens travel across the 27-nation bloc and open up summer tourism.
The certificate features a “QR” code, which indicates if a traveller has been fully vaccinated or has recently recovered from a Covid-19 infection or tested negative.
The police said they had seized control of 10 channels on the encrypted messaging service Telegram linked to anonymous accounts on marketplaces in the so-called dark web, through which it was possible to contact the sellers, who required payment in cryptocurrency.
Prices ranged from 110 to 130 euros (US$130-US$155) for an “all inclusive” package of fake pass and purported vial of vaccine. Some buyers came from outside the EU.