CBP officers recently arrested two shipments from Hong Kong that contained fraudulent State driver’s licenses being sold illegally by criminal organizations to underage drinkers, career criminals and terrorists in Louisville. These fake IDs have since been sold through underground markets to underage drinkers, career criminals and terrorists alike.
This exhibition examines how art history has long been fascinated with trickery in art history, from still life and landscape painting, sculpture and decorative arts works that deceive as well as trompe l’oeil paintings that deceive.
What is a Counterfeit Driver’s License?
Manufacturing and possessing fake identification cards, commonly referred to as “fake IDs,” is an illegal act with serious repercussions. According to law, fake IDs include any document altered, falsified, falsified, forgeries, duplicating reproduced counterfeited with intent of fraud – it doesn’t even need to be used in order to be considered illegal! Additionally, possession or control is considered criminal behavior in this instance.
Though many associate fake or counterfeit driver’s licenses with teenagers seeking alcohol or entry to age-restricted clubs and events, their primary use for identity theft purposes. Criminals use these documents to take over financial accounts; run up charges on credit cards they already possess or apply for new ones; file fraudulent tax returns; and steal financial assets.
State driver’s license agencies face severe budgetary constraints that limit their ability to incorporate cutting-edge overt and covert security features in their designs, making it easier for counterfeiters to replicate them with minimal effort.
Under California Penal Code Section 470a, it is illegal to distribute documents purporting to be valid state driver’s licenses or identification cards and anyone found breaking this law could face both fines and prison time for possessing false ID documents. Anyone facing such allegations should seek expert legal counsel.
How is a Counterfeit Driver’s License Made?
Fake ID cards have become easier than ever to produce in recent years, thanks to photo editing software, high-resolution scanners and printers, and templates available online for state driver’s licenses. Anyone can now make basic fake IDs; more advanced fakes may include bar codes with encrypted personal information or even holograms of another person’s license number for an extra price.
Any person found selling or possessing reproduced, altered, counterfeited, forged or duplicated license photographs, images negatives or electronic data pertaining to licenses and parts thereof are guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years and/or a fine not exceeding $10,000, respectively. Producing or selling equipment used to duplicate licenses constitutes misdemeanor offense punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year and/or fine not exceeding $2,000 respectively.
Possession of a false or forged state driver’s license can bring civil penalties in addition to criminal ones, such as fines and/or imprisonment. For instance, in New York state Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 392 makes possessing such documents illegal. Possession is classified as class A misdemeanor; however it can escalate to felonious offense depending on circumstances and whether people attempt to use these licenses to commit other crimes.
How is a Counterfeit Driver’s License Sold?
People looking to obtain Fake driver license can purchase ID templates online from China or India. These templates contain features like holograms, barcodes and State insignia that mimic the original document as well as security features like watermarks and microprinting to prevent fraud.
Fake IDs can be sold to individuals for any number of illicit purposes, from underage drinking and terrorism to identity theft and check/bank fraud. According to research by the Document Security Alliance (DSA), these crimes cost each American adult an estimated $1,000 annually in crimes committed with fake IDs which do not undergo rigorous government issuance standards like other documents issued from government.
Many state laws criminalize possession of fake driver’s licenses, although the penalties tend to be less severe than for similar felony offenses. California Penal Code 470a prohibits creating or selling counterfeit identification documents such as driver’s licenses; this offense can either be charged as misdemeanor or felony depending on its circumstances.
Last week in Colonie, two college students were arrested on allegations that they sold counterfeit out-of-state driver’s licenses to underage people so that they could purchase alcohol legally. They are facing criminal possession of forged instrument charges; legislation has also been proposed to increase penalties associated with this offense and their possession of fake documents.
How is a Counterfeit Driver’s License Used?
Using a fake driver’s license can help perpetrate crimes ranging from buying alcohol illegally and entering clubs where it’s not supposed to be present to more serious forms of credit card fraud or identity theft.
Possession, sale, manufacture or altering a fake state driver’s license is unlawful and you could face serious felony charges if using it to commit more serious offenses. Penalties vary according to both your home state and nature of offenses committed with fake licenses.
New York state has begun to use advanced security measures in its driver’s licenses and ID cards, such as monochromatic photographs on hard polycarbonate cards to hinder forgers’ attempts at creating convincing counterfeits. Similar techniques are being implemented into some United States passports.
Conclusion
State officials are also using digital technology to combat counterfeit documents, with smartphone applications providing law enforcement a quick and easy way to verify authenticity using barcode scanning technology and matching databases of valid documents – also detecting any changes or manipulation to documents that have been scanned in for comparison purposes.
