Vistaprint and Moo, both global web-based providers of printed marketing materials, fulfilled orders for fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and are now vying to enhance security to keep from doing so again, according to an exclusive investigation conducted by Business Insider.

ICYMI yesterday in among the Cummings thing: Vistaprint and Moo have changed their policies after I was able to easily print fake vaccine cards from their website https://t.co/4CFWkOreL8

— Chris Stokel-Walker (@stokel) May 27, 2021

U.K.-based journalist Chris Stokel-Walker reported that Insider placed a $23 order for 100 vaccination cards from Vistaprint, which is the flagship brand of Dundalk, IE-based Top 40 promotional products distributor Cimpress (asi/162149). After paying the $7.66 shipping charge, Insider received the cards within two days of the order – on May 21.

“Vistaprint’s automated service even automatically sharpened the low-resolution image to make the end product more realistic,” Stokel-Walker reported. “Anyone could write in fake details of a vaccination,” thereby allowing such unscrupulous individuals to appear to have proof that they’ve been vaccinated even if they have not been. 

Similarly, Insider ordered 50 cards for about $20 (shipping, plus delivery) on May 20 from London-headquartered Moo. The cards arrived May 4.

The cards looked “indistinguishable from the wallet-size cards issued to those vaccinated in the UK,” Insider reported.

Authorities have warned recently that the market for fake vaccine cards has been growing as people look to benefit from the personal freedoms that come with being inoculated, including being able to move around freely without a mask.

Notably, Google searches for “fake covid card” and “fake covid vaccine card” grew by 950% and 1,150% compared to the previous 90-day time period earlier this month after the U.S.’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its masking guidelines for fully vaccinated Americans, Forbes reported.

Illicit operators are looking to capitalize on demand for counterfeit COVID vaccination documents. Vistaprint and Moo aren’t accused of willfully courting or knowledgably fulfilling orders for fake vaccination cards, but their failsafes weren’t able to prevent Insider from easily obtaining authentic-looking fakes through their sites. Both Vistaprint and Moo vowed to do better.

“We are exploring ways that we can enhance our detection processes to increase the probabilities that future orders of this nature will be flagged and blocked,” a Vistaprint spokesperson told Insider.

Moo made a similar pledge. Check out the Insider piece for more context and deeper details.