Maddening vaccine typo lands traveller in Hawaii court

Mrozak's hastily written vaccine record card cost her $2800. Photo / Hawaii Department of Public Safety

A woman from Chicago had to stick a pin in her travel plans, after a "maddening" error in her Covid vaccination records revealed her devious intentions.

Arriving in Hawaii on 23 August, traveller Chloe Mrozak, 24, raised suspicion with her vaccination record card.

In documents obtained by Associated Press, Mrozak's records claimed she had been given two doses of "Maderna" vaccine. This glaring typo - supposedly meant to read Moderna - raised suspicion with at O'Ahu airport. Mrozak was reported to the Hawaii Department of Public Safety and investigators tried to track her down.

The maddening typo that cost the devious traveller. Photo / Hawaii Department of Public Safety

They were initially unable to find Mrozak after her hotel reservation and contact details were also exposed as bogus, as shown by court documents. So it was decided that they would let Mrozak enjoy her holiday and be waiting for her when she inevitably returned to fly out of the island.

In addition to the suspicious card, authorities determined that the travel information she provided listed she would be staying at a Waikiki Holiday Inn but didn't include a reservation number and return flight information, court documents said.

An assistant manager at the hotel confirmed to Lau that she didn't have a reservation. Lau said in the court document that he tried to call the number she listed, but her voicemail was full. He said he emailed her and didn't get a response.

Lau said he searched for her on Facebook and found a photo showing a "distinctive tattoo on her left hip area."

Chloe Mrozak, 24, took a week-long trip to Hawaii on fake Covid records. Photo / Hawaii Department of Public Safety

The tattoo helped authorities find her at a Southwest Airlines counter when she was trying to leave Honolulu on Aug. 28, the court document said. She showed her ID and vaccination card to Lau, who informed her she was being arrested for falsifying vaccination documents.

By this point it was determined that her vaccination record registered to Delaware was fraudulent.

Mrozak is currently held on $2800 (US$2000) bail on charges of falsifying her own documents.

A steep cost for a week's holiday in Hawaii.

Other visitors to Hawaii have been arrested for fake vaccination cards, including a father and son from California, who appeared in court via Zoom Wednesday and waived their rights to a jury trial.

- With additional reporting from Associated Press