In Berlin, as in almost all of Germany, forged vaccination passports are offered for around 250 euros. With doctor’s stamp, signature and Biontech stickers. Otherwise blank so that buyers can enter their name and vaccination details.
Max R. (28) * bought such a pass from a bar contact. And BILD was there when he tried to get a QR code with it.
R .: “My contact said that the stickers came from discarded cans from vaccination centers.”
According to estimates, around 15 percent of Germans do not want to be vaccinated at all, mostly for fear of unforeseen long-term consequences. And the more often a vaccination certificate is requested, be it in the restaurant, on the plane or in the supermarket, the greater the incentive for these people to get the wrong one.
The passport is blank on the outside, buyers can enter their names themselvesPhoto: Til Biermann
R .: “Why people like me don’t want to be vaccinated varies. Some are afraid, do not believe the politicians, are opposed to vaccinations. Some just want their freedom back. “
Max R. (28) * does not want to be vaccinated – and still the freedom for vaccinated people Photo: Til Biermann
In the test, it was surprisingly easy to digitally convert the marked ID card. The pharmacist compared the name R. had entered himself with his ID, checked that the vaccination intervals, which he had also entered, were approximately the same (three to six weeks) and printed out the QR code. She then kindly explained how exactly R. should use the code in his “Covpass” app.
The digital certificate was available without any problems despite the forgeryPhoto: Til Biermann
The doctor didn’t know anything
Ask the doctor Mr. P. * from the Prenzlauer Berg district, whose stamp is emblazoned on the passport. He doesn’t want to see his name publicly so as not to hinder possible police investigations.
In any case, it quickly becomes clear that he has nothing to do with it. The doctor number on the passport is wrong, the specialist is different, and the telephone number is missing from the fake stamp.
“Anyone who does this endangers other ignorant people who cannot be vaccinated. That is also absurd in human terms, “says Mr. P.” Unfortunately, there is hardly any handle because data protection prevents the data from being shared between the Robert Koch Institute, pharmacies and doctors. “
Afterwards, a pharmacist also says: “Unfortunately, we have little chance there. At most we can still call the doctor, but with 100 to 200 digital ID cards a day, that’s difficult. “
Employees at pharmacies like Yvonne from Berlin try their best to detect counterfeits. However, this is actually only possible in the case of amateurism, for example if the vaccination intervals are entered incorrectlyPhoto: Til Biermann
According to the press office of the Berlin police, the forgeries could be criminal forgeries to be prosecuted. A BILD inquiry revealed that state criminal investigation offices are pursuing around 1000 cases across Germany.
The Ministry of Health says about BILD: “Anyone who knowingly uses a falsified vaccination certificate is also punishable.”
Lawyer: There is a criminal liability loophole
The specialist lawyer Christian Solmecke (47) from Cologne has dealt in detail with the topic and sees it differently and little chances for the investigators: “The paragraph on the forgery of health certificates cancels the paragraph on forgery of documents. And the use of false health certificates is only punishable by authorities and insurance companies, a pharmacy is not an authority. At the moment, we have a criminal liability loophole in almost all cases of forged vaccination passports, ”he told BILD.
It is only punishable if a doctor or pharmacist forges a health certificate, but in most cases that is not the case – as was the case with the Berlin doctor Mr S., whose stamp was forged.
Lawyer Christian Solmecke (47) sees little chance for investigators in the current legal situationPhoto: Christian Solmecke
Solmecke: “In Cologne there are around 30 such cases with the public prosecutor’s office, but they are not prosecuted because there is apparently no legal basis to take action against them. The Cologne Public Prosecutor’s Office sees no criminal offense, so they cannot draft an indictment. It is almost impossible for pharmacies to tell whether it is a fake because there is no central vaccination register. “
As soon as the digital document is there, it is almost impossible to tell whether it was a forgery.
A remedy would be possible
It would be easy for the legislature to remedy this. The special standard for “forgery of health certificates” introduced about 100 years ago would have to be abolished, then all would fall under the paragraphs for forgery of documents.
Another possibility would be to insert a half-sentence into the existing law, which makes the forgery of vaccination passports also a criminal offense for people who are not doctors or pharmacists.
Solmecke: “Then we would have legal clarity and could prosecute everyone who creates, sells or uses such vaccination records.”
After the BILD research, it now came out: The traffic light coalition partners have recognized the problem. They want to punish the falsification of vaccination passports as requested by Solmecke with a prison sentence.
* Name changed