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Germany cracks down on fake Covid vaccine documents

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Germany cracks down on fake Covid vaccine documents
A vaccination certificate with a sticker of AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus (Covid-19) is seen at a drive-in for vaccinations in Schwelm, western Germany, on April 7, 2021, amid the ongoing pandemic. - Because the appointments at the vaccination centre in the Ennepe-Ruhr district are booked up for weeks, the administration reacted and set up the temporary vaccination drive-in (approx. 500 metres long, two vaccination tents, 40 employees) on the car park of a sports hall on the Easter weekend. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)

German police have set up a special team to fight a growing number of forged vaccine certificates being sold in the black market

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Police in Cologne have warned of a group of fraudsters selling fake vaccination certificates, a growing problem the scale of which is still unclear.

The police said the fraudsters worked in encrypted Telegram chats, making investigations difficult, and were selling fake documents with all the stamps and signatures, including a mark about vaccination with BioNTech or AstraZeneca.

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READ ALSO: Germany probes Covid-19 testing centres for fraud

The fraud involved both real traffic in fake documents as well as scams luring customers into paying €100.

People in Germany who are fully vaccinated can show their vaccination booklet, which has a stamp and a sticker inside. Those who don't have a booklet get a piece of paper.

Covid health passes are currently being rolled out across the EU, with a European health passport expected to be available from mid-June.

READ ALSO: What's the latest on how the EU's 'Covid passports' will work for travellers?

Over 44% of the adult population in Germany has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and more than 18% of Germans have been fully vaccinated.

German police have said forged coronavirus vaccine documents are becoming an increasing problem.

Last month, a couple in Baden-Württemberg was accused of selling fake coronavirus vaccination certificates.

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