How to Spot Fake IDs - ABSEC LLC (2023)

Here are some of the common ways to identify fraudulent IDs.

There are three basic types of ID fraud: borrowed, fake, and altered. Modern and improved security features have changed the way ID fraud occurs. Borrowed IDs are by far the most common method of identity fraud, followed by fake IDs and less commonly altered IDs. Here are some ways you can spot problems.

Borrowed IDs – the most common form of ID fraud

Borrowed IDs are now the most common form of ID fraud. It is estimated that 95% of all ID scams are due to a borrowed ID. Minors get borrowed IDs from multiple sources: they use an older sibling's ID, an older friend's ID, or they get a stranger's ID through their friends and friend networks.

Here are some suggestions to recognize the borrowed ID card:

• Compare the photo on the ID with the person in front of you and question any discrepancies (the cardholder anticipates a vendor will be too busy to examine the ID closely).
• Review and compare other physical descriptors such as height and weight.
• Watch out for signs of duplicate cards, such as B. the stamp "DUPL".
• Watch out for expired cards.
• Ask questions!
  • Ask the cardholder to verify the personal information on the card.
  • Get a signature and compare it to the one on the card.
  • Ask the cardholder what their middle initial stands for.
  • Intentionally mispronounce their name or get their middle first letter wrong to see if the cardholder is instinctively providing the correct information.
• Look for signs of fraud.
  • Is the cardholder avoiding eye contact, showing unusual hesitation in responding, acting nervous, trying to intimidate, or gazing up (as if trying to remember or make something up)?

Fake/fake IDs

In an effort to keep up with modern security improvements of real IDs, fake ID manufacturers use advanced technology to create very "real" looking fakes. The Internet has become a major source for acquiring these IDs. The best way to spot counterfeiting is to visually and physically examine the ID in question and become familiar with what a genuine ID looks like in your community.

• Oftentimes, fake IDs appear to be issued by a different state than where the ID is being used in hopes that the person verifying the ID is unfamiliar with out-of-state IDs. For example, the presenter will offer a Texas ID to get into a bar in Louisiana. An ID Reference Guide can be purchased which contains images of different versions of IDs from all states, including foreign countries, as well as identifying the key security features to help identify counterfeit IDs.
• Take a feeling test. Real IDs are not layered and are made of durable plastic. As a result, real IDs do not come loose or kink. Fake ID cards are often made and layered with inferior products. Fake IDs buckle or begin to unravel when tampered with. Bending the edge or trying to pull the ID apart can increase the chances of identifying a fake ID.
• Compare security features. Holograms should flash in and out on a real ID card. Look for holograms that stay lit no matter how much light is reflected off the map. This indicates a fake ID. Also, familiarize yourself with the holograms on the Louisiana license. There are four images of the state of Louisiana. Any other hologram on an alleged Louisiana license is proof that it is a fake.
• Check both the front and back of the ID card. Because the maker of the fake ID often doesn't put as much effort into the back, the back should be inspected as carefully as the front.
• Swipe the magnetic stripe. If the ID is genuine, once swiped, the magnetic stripe should reveal information about the presenter's age, date of birth, etc. Most fake IDs, even high quality fake IDs, will not recognize the ID or return a message that the ID cannot be verified when the magnetic stripe is swiped.

How to recognize fake IDs

• Simple ID scanners can detect whether the barcode on an ID card is scannable and/or contains encrypted information. This process is called ID parsing and is the fastest way to identify a spoofed ID.
• In most cases, IDs should have rounded edges all around. If the ID you are presented with has square edges or the edges feel frayed, the ID may have the wrong front.

How to spot a fake military ID

Military ID cards can also be forged and there are many websites offering this service in the name of "Cosplay" or "Hollywood". Still, the resulting IDs are pretty convincing. The Department of Defense recently changed the form and appearance of ID cards issued to military personnel. An example is shown here:

There are multiple validation areas on this map and tampering is more obvious. The penalties for using a fake military ID card are very harsh today, so using them to access drinking facilities is rare. More commonly, the older green and pink military ID cards are modified and used.

Changed fake IDs

Modern IDs are much more difficult to change than in the past. For example, with the advancement of ID printing processes and the use of special plastic material, it is extremely difficult to alter an ID photo, which is seldom the case with newer forms of ID. The current trend in ID change is to change birth date, under 18 to or under 21 to dates. The most common way to change IDs is to use clear nail polish or super glue and write or print new data on the nail polish or glue. So to detect changed IDs, look for the following:

• Look for small raised spots or small shiny spots above the date of birth or "below to" dates.
• Check if the font or color scheme has changed
• Different fonts on the map
• Smearing or bleeding of colors on the card
• Raised areas or ridges on the maps

Ways to verify IDs

– Check date of birth, expiry date and photo.
– If you have a license outside of a state, check the “ID Checkit Guide” for the style of each state.
– If you have a duplicate ID, ask for a second ID.
– Check eye and hair color, weight and height.
– Check license restrictions. Example: "Minor".
– Check the identification yourself for physical changes or possible tampering. (glue lines,
uneven surface, overlays, etc.)
– If the person wears an object or jewelry with initials, compare the initials with the
I WOULD.
– Make sure that other people communicate with the person. You can slip and call
the person with a different name than that on the ID card
– Ask the person about the personal data contained in the ID card. - You should be able to
respond without hesitation if it is their true information.
- Learn and remember the signs of the zodiac. This can be an extremely clever way
discover a fake ID Almost EVERYONE knows their zodiac sign, even if they don't know it
believe in astrology.

Physical inspection of ID card.

• Check the rigidity of the card. A fake ID is often a different weight and/or thickness than a real ID. Gently squeeze the ID to see if the card feels right.
• Check the edges of the card. Almost all ID cards have rounded edges around the entire ID card. If the edges feel square, the card may have an incorrect front.
• Check and touch the front and back of the ID card. Feel for bumps, ridges and irregularities.
• Check the IDs corners. The corners of a real ID card cannot be split or pulled back. If you can peel or split the corners of the ID with your nail, it's probably a fake ID.

• Visual inspection of the ID card.

• Conduct a general visual inspection of overall appearance, fonts and color patterns, and look for known security features that should be present on valid ID cards.
• Don't forget to check the back of the ID card. Fake ID makers take great care to replicate the front of the ID but put less effort into the back.

How to spot fake ID by state

Train your employeesLearn how to spot a fake ID in your state by familiarizing them with your state's ID security features. Here are the main things to look out for:

1. Hologram
   ID cards have holographic images that become visible when held up to the light. Each state has a specific image and knowing yours will help you spot fake IDs.
2. Cheap laminate
   States apply a professional grade overlaminate to their ID cards to seal their UV images and protect the ID cards. To see if the ID card you're presented with has professional grade laminate, gently bend the ID card into a "U" shape. Cheap non-professional laminate bubbles when flexed.
3. Laserperforation
   ID cards have tiny laser-perforated holes that form images that are invisible to the naked eye until exposed to direct light. The laser perforated images are different for each state.
4. laser embossing
   Many states use a laser to emboss their ID cards to raise the plastic on the front of their ID cards. The laser embossing does not alter the back of the ID card, but you can feel the ID and see if the embossing is in place/meets standards.
5. UV images
   While UV images of IDs vary by state, most states include a second, lighter image that only appears when exposed to UV light.

Over the past decade, US states and Canadian provinces have made significant security improvements to their driver's licenses and ID cards. While some of these features are only visible with special equipment (UV light source, magnification), other security features can be detected with the naked eye, by touch, or simply by tilting or holding a card up to a light source. The infographic at the bottom of this webpage shows some of these easily verifiable characteristics of driver's licenses and ID cards.

There is no universal standard for what security features are used on ID cards and where they are located on the ID card.

The SSN as a driver's license number was abolished by federal law. However, some states may still have some of the older DL documents in circulation with an SSN as indicated. The table below shows you the format of driver's license numbers for each state.

STATE ID AND DRIVER LICENSE FORMATS

Legal forms of identification in Louisiana:

Louisiana law permits only the following (5) forms of identification
“legal” proof of age:
Valid and current:
(1) Louisiana driver's license that includes a photo of the same person presenting it
Identification.

(2) Driver's license from another state that contains a photograph of the same person
show the ID.

(3) Special identification card issued by the State of Louisiana with a photo of the
Person showing ID.

(4) A passport or visa issued by the federal government or another country that contains
a permanent photograph and date of birth of the presenting person
Identification.

(5) Military or federal identity card issued by the federal government with a
Photograph and date of birth of the person presenting the ID.

When in doubt, it's a good idea to get a second opinion from a colleague or manager. In case of doubt, entry can be refused. It is not recommended to confiscate or keep the fake ID and/or arrest the person presenting it. Check your local laws as they affect your responsibilities in reporting these activities to law enforcement.