We all know how critically important a negative COVID test has become. It is the new passport for Hawaii travel, and globally. Without it, we get the “go-directly-to-jail” quarantine card. So it was actually not a big surprise to us that a black market has arisen for counterfeit COVID test results. We first started hearing about this happening in the UK late last month. Since then we’ve learned it has become global, with reports in from France, South America, and elsewhere.
At Paris’ Charles De Gaulle Airport, a forgery ring is said to have been selling negative test results for up to $360 each. Seven people were charged with fraud and forgery of the negative results certificates that bore the names of actual Paris medical laboratories as the sources.
In Brazil, four travelers were arrest with forged negative test results.
In the UK, one person reportedly forged a friend’s email that contained an actual negative Covid-19 test result. He simply changed the name and other details on the email, printed the now fake Covid-19 test result, took it to the airport, and boarded a flight.
If not weird enough, one of the reports from the UK indicated a traveler was offered a forged test result by their travel agent. Fake test results in the UK varied in price from $65 (for slower results) to $200 (for immediate results).
Hawaii has established its own systems that use digital test results which are more secure than paper. Other states with quarantines each have their own protocols including some that use paper results that can easily be forged. Hawaii bound visitors, however, must use only certain trusted partners, upload their results to a digital portal, then obtain approval QR codes to be used in the travel process. Lt. Gov. Josh Green mentioned some time ago that the state has the ability to verify at least some of those test results.
Hawaii’s SafeTravels is a web-based system, rather than an app. It is not entirely secure, nothing is. There’s another website by the name “Safe Travels – Hawaii” (URL is https://hawaii.safetravels.com/) the name of which, when found in Google search results, gives the distinct impression it is the “Safe Travels: State of Hawaii” website (URL is https://travel.hawaii.gov). But in fact, the website is registered to an individual in Victoria Australia who is reselling Hawaii activities. Well, the good news at least is that he isn’t reselling COVID test results and, on reading the site, it does say that it isn’t the state’s site. But phishing-like it definitely is.
Next-generation test/vaccination portal coming soon.
A new technology coming to the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store very soon may become a global standard for both COVID tests and later covid vaccinations. At present, the app is in trial and available for use only on certain flights between New York, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore. United Airlines is taking part in the test.
CommonPass is a product of The Commons Project together with The World Economic Forum. It aims to help restore travel to pre-COVID levels by providing secure and verified documentation of health status for travelers. This will assure that the test or vaccination record is valid. And it will adjust to updated entry requirements as things evolve.
“A broad coalition of public and private partners is collaborating to launch CommonPass, a trusted, globally-interoperable platform for people to document their COVID-19 status (health declarations / PCR tests/ vaccinations) to satisfy country entry requirements while protecting their health data privacy.”
The new app, which purports to keep health data secure, was developed with a consortium including US Customs, CDC, and many airlines. With CommonPass, travelers can get a Covid-19 test at a participating partner lab and the results are then loaded directly to the app. Any additional screening questions, such as those required by Hawaii, can also be included online.
Lastly, CommonPass confirms compliance with the specific current entry requirements and creates the QR codes that can then be scanned by airline staff and border officials.
Photo courtesy of CommonPass.
“Faked Covid Tests, Hawaii Phishing, and CommonPass” ???
Welcome to “Paradise” …
And Aloha.
Has anyone had trouble with a Vault Health test? My husband sent his test Next Day UPS yesterday and it didn’t arrive today — UPS doesn’t show any updates beyond yesterday when we dropped it off. I’ve tried to reach Vault via voice mail messages and emails and so far no reply. Has anyone had any luck getting through to them?
Also…we live in an area without Saturday UPS service — wondering if Vault tests can be returned via FEDEX. Anyone?
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Hi Elisabeth.
A lot of visitors on our site have used Vault so it is most likely that someone will give us a hand.
Aloha.
Whoa guys. Trading freedom over our bodies for a convenient app? Look at the big picture. Where does that end? I want people to be safe. I want travel to resume. Thanks for listening. This must be thought out and done correctly or the new abnormal isn’t a pretty picture. 1984
Hi Nancy.
Are you set to return from Asia yet? Thanks for your comments.
Aloha.
Thanks again for your great site – a beacon in the dark! I have booked tickets with United – terrible 40+ hour trips each way – over Hawaii to SFO just to get tested. The return is Kona, HNL, Guam, Manila, Korea, Jakarta, Bali. They have combined all the flights into one! Crazy! As of now, I will be tested 3 times before seeing family. Then PCR tested to return to Bali. Only a loving Tutu would do this!
As I told you we are serious travelers, 18 years non stop, and this reservation with changing rules/tests has been the most challenging. I am good at tickets but the ONLY way to book nowadays – international at least, is directly with the airlines. Many tickets available for purchase on the usual sites but most AREN’T flying!! They just get your money and you can change. So that’s it – day by day! Mahalo!!! Will let you know if anything else reveals itself as this covid puzzle unravels. ps We are scared watching our freedoms disappear. I feel strongly that freedom of choice with our bodies is crucial to our constitution. May this all pass sooner than later. Take care guys! xo Tutu Nancy
Hi Nancy.
Amazing trip and fortitude to do that. Congratulations. Please let us know how it goes. And thanks for being a part of this!
Aloha.
Would you please confirm the correct website for logging onto the Hawaii Safe travels site.
Does anyone know if Delta Air lines is considered an approved provider for covid testing.
Thank you in advance for your help. I really appreciate this site and comments. We hope to visit in Feb as planned if restrictions can be ironed out. We’ve been coming to these beautiful islands for the past 30 years and survived a tsunami. Earthquake, flooding and landslides…but this covid crisis is in a league of its own. I hope you all stay safe.
Thank you.
Hi Jean.
Thanks. Both the correct and not correct website URL’s are listed in this post. We have not seen Delta listed thus far.
Aloha.
Auwe …
“Faked Covid Tests, Hawaii Phishing …”
Hawai’i …
Hawai’i — my absolute FAVORITE place on Earth. You haven’t done too well since statehood: proven over, and over, and over, again. And before any late comer Malihini’s feel the need to respond .. I was livin’ and breathin’ in ‘da Territory of Hawai’i in ‘da ’50s, my Bruddah’s and Sistah’s …
And it really WAS “GREAT” way back then … I hope and trust some of you can remember … and I really hope Hawai’i can somehow recapture those good years …
Simpler is mo’ bettah’ … that would be a good place to start. Just one man’s opinion …
This just gets weirder by the minute. We canceled a trip in September, rescheduled for February, and have been watching this all play out. I have to state that given this last bit of information, we will more than likely cancel our trip in February. You are supposed to go on vacation to relax. This is just too much BS. Hope Hawaii survives until we plan our next trip.
I thought that was the reason for the “Trusted Partners” only tests, to prevent fraud and inaccurate tests