As more people across the United States and the state of New Jersey begin to roll up their sleeves to protect themselves against COVID-19, the risk of scammers selling fraudulent vaccination cards is now higher than ever.

To combat this issue, Assemblyman Nicholas A. Chiaravalloti (D-31) proposed legislation on Wednesday that would criminalize the act of making, selling or displaying fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. Those caught buying, selling or possessing fake COVID-19 vaccination cards are subject to a fine.

“As we begin the slow recovery back to normalcy, we must not allow people to cheat the system at the expense of others,” said Chiaravalloti. “Falsifying medical documents poses a serious risk to those around you, and it must be taken seriously.”

COVID-19 vaccine cards, which document the date that vaccinated people received their doses, the manufacturer of their vaccine and its batch number, are seen as a record of vaccination. For some schools such as Rutgers University and Stevens Institute of Technology, students will not be allowed on campus in the Fall without proof of vaccination.

“The act of falsifying a COVID-19 vaccine card in order to enjoy the freedoms that comes with it is a serious concern, not just from a health but also a public safety perspective. This law will ensure that people will be kept safe, especially after the year we’ve all had,” said Chiaravalloti.